The Whys & Hows of Building a Church Planting Team

By Gary Rohrmayer

The mission of Jesus has always been about multiplication. From His calling of the twelve to the sending of the seventy-two, Jesus demonstrated that movements are not built on the shoulders of solitary leaders, but through teams united around a shared vision. In the book of Acts, we witness church after church planted not by lone individuals, but by teams of Spirit-empowered leaders—Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas, Priscilla and Aquila. Church planting has always thrived in the fertile soil of team-based ministry. Ralph Moore wrote, “Church multiplication movements are built on the foundation of healthy teams. Lone rangers might start churches, but they rarely reproduce them.”

Today, as we seek to reach increasingly unchurched and post-Christian communities, the need for strategic, regional church planting teams has never been more urgent. Lone church planters burn out. Leaders without support lose vision. Movements without structure stall. But when a team of aligned leaders comes together—committed to prayer, strategic planning, coaching, and care—the potential for gospel multiplication is unleashed.

A regional church planting team acts as the engine of a multiplying movement. It identifies, equips, supports, and sends out new leaders. It builds systems that sustain momentum. It offers encouragement in the battle and wisdom in the trenches. Most importantly, it keeps the mission of Jesus— “to seek and to save the lost”—at the forefront of everything.

Building such a team is not optional; it is essential. If we are serious about saturating our region with gospel-centered churches, we must shift from personality-driven initiatives to collaborative leadership structures. The days of heroic solo efforts are giving way to Spirit-filled, team-led movements.  Alan Hirsch wrote, “Apostolic movements are never solo endeavors. They are built on the backs of collaborative, Spirit-empowered teams who understand the breadth of the mission and the need for unity in diversity.”

The future of church planting depends on our ability to build teams that think regionally, act strategically, and lead missionally. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful. The workers are few” (Luke 10:2). It's time to gather the right people and build the kind of team that can truly make a lasting kingdom impact.

Building a Regional Church Planting Team is a strategic endeavor that requires intentionality, clarity of mission, and relational alignment. Here are three initial steps to launching a strong and effective team:

Step 1: Clarify the Vision and Define the Strategy

Why it matters: A clear, compelling vision creates unity and focus. Without it, your team will drift.

• Articulate the 'Why': Clarify the theological and missional conviction behind church planting. Root it in the Great Commission and the kingdom mandate.

• Set regional goals: Define measurable, time-bound objectives (e.g., "10 new churches in the next 5 years").

• Develop a pathway: Map out a strategy for assessment, training, coaching, funding, and care for planters.

Deliverable: A concise Church Planting Vision & Strategy Document that inspires and guides action.

Step 2: Identify and Recruit the Right People

Why it matters: The strength of your team depends on the quality and diversity of its members.

• Decide the type of team you want to create.

• A “Support and Encouragement” Team. To guide with wisdom and encouragement for the CP Leader.

• Team Roles to consider:

• Chairperson

• Vice-Chair

• Secretary 

• A “Doer or Action Oriented” Team.  They roll up their sleeves and take volunteer ownership of a key CP system.

• Team roles to consider:

• Vision Champion (e.g., denominational leader)

• Planter Assessor

• Training Coordinator

• Coach or Coaching Champion

• Funding Strategist

• Prayer & Care Coordinator

• Look for: High-capacity leaders who are spiritually mature, missionally passionate, and team-oriented.  They have modeled multiplication by planting a site or starting a daughter church.

• Start with a relationship: Begin with those who already have buy-in and relational affinity then build from there.  Don't be afraid to bring in new planters who model your values of multiplication.  And yet, don’t forget the wise veterans who have lived out the values of multiplication for decades.

• Decide on time commitments: As regional leaders, our main pool of volunteers consists of busy pastors.  So, ask for a 1-to-2-year commitment that can be renewable.

Deliverable: A committed core team with defined roles, monthly check-ins for prayer, quarterly meetings for planning, and accountability.

Step 3: Build Systems and Rhythms that Sustain Movement

Why it matters: Movement requires momentum, and momentum is maintained through systems.

• Create a planter pipeline: Develop clear entry points, milestones, and support mechanisms to ensure a smooth workflow.

• Establish rhythms: Monthly team meetings, quarterly planter gatherings, annual assessments, and retreats.

• Track progress: Utilize dashboards or simple reporting tools to measure the health of your planter, church viability, and multiplication.

• Evaluate your CP Systems Annually:  Axelerate has developed a free CP Systems Assessment. Have your team members take the assessment individually and average their scores to determine your final score.  Look for strengths and areas for improvement and develop a plan to capitalize on your strengths while giving focused attention to areas for improvement. 

Deliverable: A reproducible church planting system with tools, timelines, and rhythms in place.

Closing Thought: Don't go fast alone—go farther together. Invest in spiritual formation, mutual encouragement, and shared wins. A healthy team culture will yield lasting benefits over the long term.

“Teamwork demands sacrificing personal interests for the interests of the team. A true spiritual leader will think of the team first and self last.” – J. Oswald Sanders