We are excited to introduce you to the new Acts 29 Podcast. On the Acts 29 podcast, host Jeff Medders will interview pastors, authors, theologians, and church leaders to help listeners grow in maturity and mission. Subscribe Today ACTS 29 PODCAST   Acts 29 is a diverse, global family of church-planting churches characterized by theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation.   ..read more

Cultural engagement is a critical aspect of church planting. The cities, towns, and villages in which we establish new churches have unique attitudes, values, and practices. These shared beliefs and habits define their culture. As men and women committed to drawing people away from worldliness and toward godliness, knowing how to wisely engage others about their attitudes and actions is essential. How do we equip Christians to think and speak about culture in a way that plugs into a bigger and better reality—the story of King Jesus and his redemptive plans for the world? Dan Strange joins me t ..read more

Church planters in Australia and New Zealand have prayed and labored for a strong foundation in their church plants so they would one day mature into church-planting churches. By God’s grace, they’re seeing new churches launched as qualified planters are raised up and sent out. One area where church-planting momentum is building is Japan. Church planters from these three regions are partnering together to make disciples in one of the most unreached parts of the world. Adam Ramsey joins me on the podcast today to give a church-planting update for his side of the world. Adam is the Acts 29 netwo ..read more

One of the biggest changes the pandemic has brought to our way of life is the way we educate our children. In the United States, many schools are beginning the school year virtually or reopening classrooms at reduced capacity. But in Kenya, the government has elected to cancel school altogether until 2021. This decision comes with harmful consequences for many vulnerable children. No school increases their risk of suffering through domestic and sexual abuse, hunger, malnutrition, prolonged poverty, and more. In a society where education is directly tied to survival, denied access to schooling ..read more

Church planters are committed to theological clarity, cultural engagement, and missional innovation. It’s imperative we think biblically through all things as we proclaim Christ and disciple believers. One of the more neglected doctrines with significant implications for church planting, though, is the exaltation of Christ through his ascension. With me today on the podcast to discuss the relationship between Christ’s ascension and church planting is New Testament scholar Patrick Schreiner. Patrick is an author, podcaster, and professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Listen to thi ..read more

God commissions his people to be global disciple-makers. We go. We send. We baptize. We teach others to obey God’s Word. We primarily do this through church planting. But some places are harder to plant in than others. Church in Hard Places is a resource-sharing collaborative that trains and supports indigenous church leaders in poor communities. One way this collaborative trains indigenous church leaders is through church-planting apprenticeships. Participants receive two years of theologically robust and culturally relevant instruction to equip them to serve in their contexts, and they are b ..read more

One of the greatest joys of ministry has been developing great friendships with other pastors. This is one of the blessings of being part of a church-planting network. When it comes to church planting, we are better together. We need each other as we press on in this good work of scattering communities of light in every nook and cranny of this dark world. With me on the podcast today is my good friend Harvey Turner, who interviews me in a “reverse podcast.” I’m excited to share some of my church-planting journey. We talk about baseball, marriage, adoption, eldership, Christ-centered exposition ..read more

Our mission is a costly one. Global church planting requires significant financial investment. While church planters receive thorough training in theology and leadership, few feel confident to navigate the realm of fundraising. Instead of realizing the privilege of inviting others to give, we often approach fundraising feeling like awkward beggars. But our love for Christ and enthusiasm for his church propels us to be generous and sacrificial. Our God is worthy, and our mission is urgent. And so, as good stewards of the gifts we’ve been entrusted, it’s our joy to give to his kingdom’s cause. W ..read more

Church plants are filled with godly women who co-labor with their Christian brothers to proclaim the name of Jesus. They love the Lord and magnify him in their homes, neighborhoods, and workplaces. As pastors, we’re blessed to have them as partners in our gospel endeavors. Our enemy, however, seeks to destroy these women. They’re bombarded daily with temptations and pressures of unrealistic expectations. It’s crucial for our churches to be havens for gospel truth, equipping women to resist the lures of temporary joy offered by the world, and, instead, to rest in the lasting joy found only thro ..read more

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach to church planting. The context in which we plant churches influences the missional strategies we employ to maximize our disciple-making efforts. We wisely consider an area’s demographic and cultural narrative when determining how to love our neighbors. Urban church planting has unique challenges and opportunities. The church planter may face challenges of crime, poverty, high cost of living, traffic, transiency, difficulty of finding a meeting place, and more. We plant churches in cities because God loves people. And there are a lot of people in cities wh ..read more