Acts 29

Table of Contents

General Information
Philosophy of Ministry
Leadership
Beliefs & Core Values
Church Planting
Covenant
Application Process
Other

General Information

What is Acts 29?

Acts 29 is a trans-denominational peer to peer network of missional church planting churches.

What does Acts 29 do?

Acts 29 churches assist called and qualified pastors as they pursue their church planting dreams through assessment, coaching, training, funding, and friendship by connecting them with like minded people.

What are the distinctives of Acts 29?

Our men: We believe local churches should be governed by godly husbands and fathers who are biblically qualified elders serving under the Lord Jesus Christ who is the Head of the church.
Our mission: We believe Lord Jesus desires the planting of church planting churches.
Our message: We believe the reformed gospel about Jesus Christ is the central message of the Bible.

Where does the name Acts 29 come from?

There are 28 chapters in the book of Acts and our belief that God is at work today continuing the building of His church and expansion of His kingdom through the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are simply seeking to follow in the pattern of Spirit-led and Scripture-directed church planting and evangelistic ministry that began in Acts and has continued in every age since through God’s faithful servants.

Philosophy of Ministry
Does Acts 29 have a philosophy of ministry?
We are a peer to peer network, so there is no mandated philosophy of ministry. However, our missional perspective flows out of a very high view of scripture on the one hand, and a total commitment to engage contemporary culture with the gospel on the other hand, using every effective means of communication.

Therefore, most Acts 29 planters/pastors are biblically and theologically well-read. We study hard in the Bible because we believe a clear and orthodox understanding of the Gospel is critical. When it comes to the Gospel we do not innovate. When it comes to culture, however, we seek continually to be innovative in our means of communication.

Understanding this distinction is key to understanding our missional perspective. It shapes the specific philosophy of ministry which any individual church plant will adopt. For this reason most Acts 29 pastors preach hard-hitting expository sermons through entire books of the Bible, speaking the unchanging Gospel directly into the ever-shifting winds of contemporary culture. For examples of the preaching, worship styles, and expressed values of Acts 29 churches, please visit the websites of the churches we have listed in our directory.

Leadership
Who leads Acts 29?
In Acts 29 there are four categories of involvement: Acts 29 churches, Acts 29 board, Acts 29 leadership teams, and Acts 29 strategic partners.

#1 – Acts 29 Local Church Elders
Churches planted from within the Acts 29 network are expected to agree to the doctrine and mission of our network. Additionally, they give 10% of their general tithes and offerings toward church planting as their primary means of mission. This money is not sent into Acts 29, but rather distributed by the elders in a local church directly to the church planter(s) that they decide to assist, who will likewise be Acts 29 church planting churches. Acts 29 does assess church planting candidates and provide recommendations to the local church elders but it is ultimately the decision of the Acts 29 local church elders to approve church planters and fund them.

#2 - The Acts 29 Board
The Acts 29 board is comprised of successful church planters whose passion is the mission of the gospel in the culture as the church for the glory of God. Acts 29 board members volunteer their time and resources to serve church planters out of a love for them. The Acts 29 board oversees the general direction of our movement in an effort to assist the local churches in planting church planting churches. The board sets policy, boundaries, general structures and direction for Acts 29.

#3 - The Leadership Teams
The Acts 29 Leadership Teams are comprised of some of the finest church planters in Acts 29 who volunteer time to build the various systems in our network such as regional networks, assessments, and coaching.

#4 – Strategic Partners
Like minded denominations, churches, and organizations that partner with Acts 29 to plant church planting churches by providing resources such as men, funding, facilities, core group members, etc. are welcomed into Acts 29 at no charge to benefit from our assistance. Acts 29 gladly makes whatever reasonable arrangements are necessary to accommodate helpful strategic partners.

Beliefs & Core Values
What does Acts 29 believe?
The short answer is that we are first Christians, second Evangelicals, third Missional, and fourth Reformed. The more lengthy answer is included below and intentionally omits some finer points of doctrine and secondary issues as we allow the elders in our local churches to operate according to their convictions on these matters.

First, we are Christians which distinguishes us from other world religions and cults. Therefore, we adhere to both the Apostles and Nicene Creeds.

Second, we are Evangelicals and in agreement with the doctrinal statement of the National Association of Evangelicals:

• We believe the Bible to be the inspired, the only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
• We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
• We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential.
• We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
• We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life and they that are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
• We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Third, we are Missional:

• We believe that our local churches must be faithful to the content of unchanging Biblical doctrine (Jude 3).
• We believe that our local churches must be faithful to the continually changing context of the culture(s) in which they minister (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).
• We believe that our mission is to bring people into church so that they can be trained to go out into their culture as effective missionaries.

Fourth, we are Reformed:

• We believe that God created the heavens, the earth. We believe that God created man and woman in a state of sinless perfection with particular dignity as His image bearers on the earth.
• We believe that our first parents sinned against God and that everyone since is a sinner by nature and choice. Sin has totally affected all of creation including marring human image and likeness so that all of our being is stained by sin (e.g. reasoning, desires, and emotions).
• We believe that because all people have sinned and separated themselves from the Holy God that he is obligated to save no one from the just deserved punishments of hell. We also believe that God in His unparalleled love and mercy has chosen to elect some people for salvation.
• We believe that the salvation of the elect was predestined by God in eternity past.
• We believe that the salvation of the elect was accomplished by the sinless life, substitutionary atoning death, and literal physical resurrection of Jesus Christ in place of His people for their sins.
• We believe that the salvation of the elect by God’s grace alone shows forth in the ongoing repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ that leads to good works.
• We believe that God’s saving grace is ultimately irresistible and that God does soften even the hardest heart and save the worst of sinners according to His will.
• We believe that the gospel should be passionately and urgently proclaimed to all people so that all who believe may be saved through the preaching of God’s Word by the power of God’s Spirit.
• We believe that true Christians born again of God’s Spirit will be kept by God throughout their life, as evidenced by personal transformation that includes an ever-growing love of God the Father through God the Son by God the Spirit, love of brothers and sisters in the church, and love of lost neighbors in the culture.
• We believe that God is Lord over all of life and that there is nothing in life that is to be separated from God.
• We believe that the worship of God is the end for which people were created and that abiding joy is only to be found by delighting in God through all of life, including hardship and death which is gain.

What does Acts 29 not believe?
Because Acts 29 is often associated with other movements we frequently get questions about emerging theological controversies. To help clarify our beliefs we believe it may also be helpful to declare what we do not believe. In stating what we are not, we do not seek to attack those who disagree with us, but rather distinguish ourselves so that pastors considering joining our network are aware of who we are, as well as who we are not.

• We are not liberals who embrace culture without discernment and compromise the distinctives of the gospel, but rather Christians who believe the truths of the Bible are eternal and therefore fitting for every time, place, and people.
• We are not fundamentalists who retreat from cultural involvement and transformation, but rather missionaries faithful both to the content of Scripture and context of ministry.
• We are not isolationists and seek to partner with like-minded Christians from various churches, denominations and organizations in planting church-planting churches.
• We are not hyper-Calvinists who get mired down in secondary matters, but rather pray, evangelize, and do good works because we believe that the sovereign plan of God is accomplished through us, His people.
• We are not eschatological Theonomists or Classic Dispensationalists (e.g. Scofield) and believe that divisive and dogmatic certainty surrounding particular details of Jesus Second Coming are unprofitable speculation, because the timing and exact details of His return are unclear to us.
• We are not egalitarians and do believe that men should head their homes and male elders should lead their churches with masculine love like Jesus Christ.
• We are not Open Theists and believe in the sovereignty and foreknowledge of God in all things.
• We are not religious relativists and do believe that there is no salvation apart from faith in Jesus Christ alone.
• We are not nationalists seeking to simply improve one nation but instead ambassadors of the King of Kings commissioned to proclaim and demonstrate the coming of His kingdom to all nations of the earth.
• We are not moralists seeking to help people live good lives, but instead evangelists laboring that people would become new creations in Christ.
• We are not relativists and do gladly embrace Scripture as our highest authority above such things as culture, experience, philosophy, and other forms of revelation.
• We are not Universalists and do believe that many people will spend eternity in the torments of hell as the Bible teaches.
• We are not naturalists and do believe that Satan and demons are real enemies at work in this world and subject to God.
• We are not rationalists and do believe that not everything can be known but that God calls us to live by faith with mystery and partial knowledge regarding many things.
• We are not evangelical feminists and do believe that God reveals Himself as a Father and is to be honored by the names He reveals to us without apology.
• We are not embarrassed by the bloody death of Jesus Christ and do believe He died as a substitute for the sins of His people in selfless love.
• We are not ashamed and do proclaim a loving gospel of grace which sounds like foolishness and offensiveness to the unrepentant while also saving multitudes with ears to hear good news.
• We are not polemicists who believe that it is our task to combat every false teaching but are passionate about preserving the integrity of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Church Planting
What kind of man is Acts 29 looking for as a lead church planter?
This is a key question because it hits the issue of the quality of man we believe God calls to lead a church plant. Mark Driscoll has written an article to answer this question, which you can read via the following link: "The Ox-Qualifications of an Acts 29 Church Planter".

What does Acts 29 consider a church plant?
A new church that is started with the intent of being an autonomous local congregation is considered a church plant by Acts 29.

What does Acts 29 not consider a church plant?

• We do not consider a “church within a church” a church plant.
• We do not consider an on-site video venue congregation as part of an existing church a church plant.
• We do not consider a new service as part of an existing congregation a church plant.
• We do not consider a life-stage service such as a college, high school, or singles service a church plant.

What does Acts 29 consider a successful church plant?

• A successful church plant is self-governed by biblical elders.
• A successful church plant is self-funded without need of outside assistance.
• A successful church plant reproduces itself by giving resources to plant other churches.

Who is Acts 29 seeking to partner with?

• We are always seeking qualified men called of God to plant a church.
• We are always seeking to partner with like minded churches, denominations, and organizations who may want us to surface qualified church planters for them.
• We are always seeking strategic partnerships with like-minded local churches that could use our assistance in helping them to be an effective church-planting church.
• We are always seeking to assist dead and dying churches that need to be replanted.

What distinguishes Acts 29 from other similar groups?

• We are not a denomination but do work with like minded people from various denominations.
• We do not require dues to receive or retain membership in our network.
• We do not divide over issues not addressed in our doctrinal statement (e.g. mode of baptism, charismatic gifts, eschatology), but rather allow the elders in our various local churches to define their doctrinal distinctives.
• We are not solely a regional network and assist church planters across the United States.
• We are not solely a national movement and do partner with national movement leaders outside of the United States to assist their church planters.
• We are not bound by a common church style and believe that each local church should have a style best suited for them to be simultaneously faithful to both the content of Scripture and context of their ministry.
• We do not license or ordain pastors or planters but leave that to their sponsoring church or denomination.
• We do not send planters out to locations of our choosing to fulfill our ideas or agenda; rather we seek to serve planters as they obey what God has uniquely called them to do.

Covenant
What Covenant do Acts 29 planters agree to follow?
Acts 29 church planters and their elders covenant together according to the following essentials:

• We agree that our church will meet all biblical requirements for elders, including that the church will be governed by a plurality of qualified male elders.
• We agree with the theological beliefs of Acts 29 as a Christian Evangelical Missional Reformed network.
• We agree to be an active church planting church. This means that when we begin our public services we will give 10% of our internal tithes and offerings (not monies raised from outside the church) to church planting, under local elder authority as follows:
• Primary funding consideration shall be given to Acts 29-approved planters.
• However, denominational and network-affiliated plants must honor their agreements with other affiliations and we will arrange the terms on a case by case basis.
• Furthermore, each plant must also honor any agreement with a funding Acts 29 church.
• We acknowledge that it is the spirit and not the letter of this principle which is most important, and are willing to extend grace as needed to churches that are financially struggling.
• If a church plant leaves Acts 29 either of their own choice or for disciplinary reasons they are expected to repay their Acts 29 funding donors(s).
• If a church plant dissolves whether or not they repay their funding is determined by their covenant with their sponsoring church.

Application Process
When is the appropriate time to apply to Acts 29?
If you are a lead planter, called by God, appropriately gifted, certain of the task which lies before you and somewhere between 12 months out from or 12 months into launch, it is time to apply. Please note that clarity of call is more important than a precise timeline (i.e. the 12 month figure is approximate, though the clarity of call is essential).

If you are unsure whether you are a lead guy, do not have a clear call, lack giftedness, are uncertain of what you are to do, and/or do not have a timeline in place, it would be better to patiently wait and seek the Lord for clarity and not submit an application with Acts 29 at this time. A helpful option may be to attend an upcoming Boot Camp to assist in exploring your call. Also, be sure to review "The Ox-Qualifications of an Acts 29 Church Planter" and prayerfully ask yourself if you are the man described therein.

Once I have submitted an online application, what then?
You begin to move through our application process, which essentially is the process of us getting to know you, and you us. The process has multiple steps moving through three stages: Applicant, Assessment, Candidate.

Applicant Phase
Initially, as an applicant, we will ask you to submit your resume, highlight your ministry background, and provide references pertinent to your ministry experience. We will ask you to tell us about your marriage, your theology, and your plans. We will then have a phone interview.

If all looks good at this point, you will be invited to move through our assessment process. This begins with taking our online exams, which provide you (and us) with very helpful objective feedback pertinent to your desire to be a lead planter.

Assessment Phase
The most important aspect of our assessment process, though, is for you to come to one of our boot camps because it is here, in many cases, that we are able to meet face to face for the first time. This event is very worthwhile for the training alone, but for those applicants going through assessment it is critical. Here, we will sit down for an interview/coaching time with you and your wife (required). We will look at your strengths, your weaknesses, and your unique situation. We will help you consider your next steps as you pursue your dream to plant. This will finalize our formal assessment process, and provide you with our recommendations.

Candidate Phase
The final application phase is the candidate phase. As a candidate you can begin to connect relationally within our various regions, and perhaps begin a coaching relationship with an experienced planter. You are also given access to the Acts 29 members website so you can interact with all members of the network, learn from them, and access in-network resources. In this phase you gather your core group, develop your strategy, assemble your budget and project your needs. When your core group is growing and viable, the Acts 29 board will officially approve your membership and look at your funding needs.

How does Acts 29 funding work, and when does it kick in?
Acts 29 is not a centralized organization with a big pot of money somewhere earmarked for funding. We are a relational, peer to peer network of churches that plant churches. We believe strongly that mission belongs in the hands of local churches, therefore it is Acts 29 churches that fund planters out of their own mission budgets. For that reason we cannot, as an organization, promise someone applying to Acts 29 that we will give them a specific amount of funds at a specific point.

Instead, what we do is assess, train, encourage, coach, and resource qualified men who have been clearly called by God to plant a church. As we get to know those men, and they build relationships with guys in our network, funding opportunities open up. Such opportunities typically open up for three reasons. First, every Acts 29 church planter knows exactly what it’s like to be starting out and desperately in need of funds. Second, every established Acts 29 church is committed to giving funds and supporting new church plants. Third, the Acts 29 network serves as an advocate for qualified planters and will help to match them up with established funding churches.

So, what does this mean to you, the planter who is applying to Acts 29?
It means that church planting must not be a "good idea" or a "fallback plan" because you don’t have to punch a clock nor do any heavy lifting. Your motivation to plant needs to be the clear call and command of God. You need to be willing to take a risk, step out in faith, and test that call. You need to draw on every personal resource you've got to raise preliminary funds and begin gathering your core group.

Applicants often ask us why we don't fund right from day one. Partly it's this issue of testing God's call. We want to give planters enough resource and help so that if they are indeed called by God, they will make it, but not so much resource that if they are not called by God they can make it anyway.

Additionally, it is also a very practical issue. An Acts 29 local church is not going to commit funds to someone they do not know, and who cannot show some fruit from their planting efforts and ministry. So, without apology, we believe that potential church planters should not be afraid to test their call, begin gathering their core group, and let the fruit of their ministry be seen.

There is also a very practical issue of timing. In the beginning stages of core gathering the financial need and time commitment is not so intense that a planter cannot be bi-vocational if necessary. Often times, being bi-vocational is an advantage as it allows the lead guy to connect with the community and build relationships with lost people (though we are not saying that everyone "should" be bi-vocational).

Acts 29 does like to see a viable, growing core group of 30-50 adults before funds are committed. It is often at this point that funding becomes most critical as a larger facility is needed as well as sound equipment, music equipment, video projection, marketing etc. It is an advantage for the lead guy to go full time if possible. It is critical to keep the momentum going, to launch publicly, get some office space and move through to where you can begin to become self-supporting. Our goal is to see planters reach that point, and then be able to turn around and help another guy get up and get going in the same way.

Other
What authors do Acts 29 pastors tend to appreciate?
One way to better understand our beliefs is to also consider some of the authors which many of our pastors appreciate. Among the older authors are such men as Augustine, John Calvin, Martin Luther, the Puritans, Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Jonathan Edwards. Contemporary authors include such men as John Piper, Wayne Grudem, Tim Keller, Lesslie Newbigin, and David Bosch. In addition, some of our men are now publishing such as Ed Stetzer and Mark Driscoll, and their works are obviously also widely read by the pastors in Acts 29.