RESIDENCY LABS
Hands-on formation for church planters, and developing ministers.
Be trained well — without leaving your church, your job, or your mission field.
The Problem
One of the greatest barriers to church planting and ministry development isn't a lack of information, it's a lack of formation.
Most aspiring pastors have access to content, books, and conversations. What's often missing is the opportunity to actually step into the work — to test calling, build competencies, and discern readiness in real time.
Plant Fort Worth Residency Labs are designed to bridge that gap.
What these residency labs are built to do.
Explore
Discover the ministry role God has called you to.
Develop
The competencies required to plant or lead a healthy church plant.
Grow
In spiritual, personal, and relational readiness.
Evaluate.
Readiness alongside your family — not apart from them.
PLANT FORT WORTH RESIDENCY LABS
One year-long processes. One goal — leaders equipped to make and multiply disciples.
Ministry Discernment Lab
Find your unique role in God’s kingdom.
$4,050
A 9-month process for ministry leaders at any stage — clarifying your calling through the lens of character, convictions, and competencies. You and your spouse learn together, embedded in your local church, without leaving your current job or ministry.
9 Months
September - May
Start a church that fits your convictions and mission field.
$4,500
Hands-on, cohort-based training for planters preparing to launch a gospel-centered, Spirit-led, multiplying church. Embedded in your local church throughout — your context shapes your training.
10 Months
August - June
Church
Planting Lab
Navigate the first three years of your plant — together.
$1,800
For leaders in their first three years of a church plant. Monthly coaching, peer learning, and two retreats walk through the spiritual and practical realities unique to the early years — so you don't have to figure it out alone.
9 Months
October - June
Early
Years Cohort
From a Residency Couple
"What I thought would just equip my husband ended up being such a gift for me too. Through the Discernment Residency, God strengthened our young marriage, clarified our ministry calling, and even grew me as a leader at work, especially in emotional intelligence and learning how to shepherd my team with grace. It truly impacted both of us in ways I never expected!"
Georgie Huse
OVERVIEW
How Residency Labs work.
You won't just learn about church planting. You'll practice it, reflect on it, and be shaped through it — combining multiple environments of learning so formation is embodied, not just theoretical. Built to fit alongside your current role.
6–8 hrs/wk
4-5 lab weeks a year (depending on the lab)
Host Church Residency
~3–4 hrs / week
Embedded in your local church. Real ministry, real people, real growth — not a classroom simulation.
Prep Work & Assignments
~3–4 hrs / week
Self-paced reading, watching, and writing — building the knowledge that makes your hands-on work make sense.
In-Person Lab Weeks
Bi-monthly · 2–3 days
Cohort-style intensives in Fort Worth with experienced practitioners, peer learning, and prayer. Six per year.
Organizational Focus
Shaped to your context
Your sending church and denomination help shape the training. This isn't a one-size-fits-all program.
Spouse Involvement
Together, not alongside
Your spouse participates fully — because the people closest to you are most affected by where God is calling you.
One-on-One Coaching
Regular calls throughout the year
Process with your assigned coach, get unstuck, and apply what you're learning to your specific context.
What you'll learn …
20+
churches planted across Fort Worth
01
Clarity on your calling
Leave knowing — with your church and your spouse — exactly what God is asking of you next.
02
A church-ready plan
Theology, leadership, evangelism, and the practical mechanics of gathering and sending a community.
03
A people, not just a program
A cohort and coaches who stay in your corner long after the year ends.
Applications open March 1, 2027
Residency Labs begin Fall 2027
FAQ
Still have questions? Here are some answers.
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Ministry leaders, church planters, and mission-minded Christians at any stage — from discerning a calling to actively preparing to plant. If you feel called and want hands-on training, there's a lab for you.
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No — residents come from across the region and beyond. You stay embedded in your local church throughout the year. The main travel requirement is bi-monthly Lab Weeks held in Fort Worth.
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Yes. A sponsor church is a core part of the process — they provide your local internship context and help shape your development plan. Don't have one yet? Talk to us.
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Seminary teaches you about ministry in a classroom. Residency Labs form you in ministry — embedded in a real church, with real people, while you keep your current life. Knowledge and practice, together.
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About 6–8 hours per week, plus bi-monthly Lab Weeks (2–3 days in Fort Worth). Designed to fit around your current role.
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Academic credit may be available. Contact us for details.
For Spouses
Ministry is a family calling. Spouses participate fully — not as a formality, but because your voice, your health, and your shared discernment matter. You'll complete your own application, join key sessions, and have dedicated spaces just for spouses throughout the year.
For Churches
Sending a resident doesn't just develop your leader — it sharpens your whole team. You help shape the training, stay involved in their development, and gain a more equipped leader at the end. This is church-based training, not training that takes your leader away.
Your next step
Ready to start?
We're here to help you find your fit, get your questions answered, and take your next step.