Acts29 Church Planting Network

I just stumbled across the Acts 29 church planting network. I'm curious - I've heard them highly recommended by a couple of groups I trust. I can't wholeheartedly recommend them, as I've not done enough research. Their list of qualifications for church-planters is worth taking a good look at, regardless. It's thoroughly grounded in Scripture and quite practical.

One of the best chunks of the article:

In summary, only men of finest character are fit for leadership in God's church. What is not required according to the Bible is formal theological training, though such training can indeed be very beneficial. What is also not required is a salary, though an elder/pastor is worth an honorable wage (I Timothy 5:17-18). The issue of which men lead the church is of the utmost seriousness because the reputation of the gospel in the community and health of the church are contingent upon godly, qualified men who keep in step with Jesus and can lead the church to do likewise. In this way, the elders function as an accountable team much like Jesus first disciples and are therefore quite unlike secular notions of a business or non-profit organizational board. In addition to the qualifications of an elder, the Bible also provides the duties of elders/pastors.

• Prayer & Scripture study (Acts 6:4)


• Ruling/leading the church (I Timothy 5:17)


• Managing the church (I Timothy 3:4-5)


• Caring for people in the church (I Peter 5:2-5)


• Giving account to God for the church (Hebrews 13:17)


• Living exemplary lives (Hebrews 13:7)


• Rightly using the authority God has given them (Acts 20:28)


• Teaching the Bible correctly (Ephesians 4:11, I Timothy 3:2)


• Preaching (I Timothy 5:17)


• Praying for the sick (James 5:13-15)


• Teaching sound doctrine & refuting false teachings (Titus 1:9)


• Working hard (I Thessalonians 5:12)


• Rightly using money & power (I Peter 5:1-3)


• Protecting the church from false teachers (Acts 20:17-31)


• Disciplining unrepentant Christians (Matthew 18:15-17).

I'd recommend you read the whole article. You might take a look around at the site, too, and let me know what you think.