by Clare Jewell

I swallowed hard, dialed the phone, and quickly reviewed my “ask” as the phone rang. I was somewhat of an expert at receiving offerings during church services, but this was different. This was personal. I was asking a friend to support me—to willingly invest in the ministry God had called me to as a missionary. My friend and I set a date. We established a time. We met and discussed the vision. After a few days of prayer, he gladly committed to contribute to my monthly support. I was relieved, but I had to do it again, and again, and again.

Truth is, we can’t do much without resources. We need people. We need funds. We need equipment, curriculum, strategies, and skill. While the amounts of these necessities may vary according to the context, church plants need two things that are often in short supply: leaders and money.

Good news! The GARBC is able to help with both. Through Regular Baptist Builders Club, church planters can apply for up to $30,000 in start-up funds, and close to $30,000 to help acquire additional goods and services. These funds help churches plant churches that are able to reach people and impact communities with the gospel.

Regular Baptist Church Planting is also accepting applications for church planting internship grants. Potential lead planters can receive up to $1,000 per month for internships of six to 12 months. This internship program is designed to equip leaders to start Regular Baptist churches.

Details of the church planting internship will be available soon. Until then, you can get more information by e-mailing me at cjewell [at] garbc [dot] org or calling me at (260) 466-9678. I’m also available to visit with your church’s leadership team or share about church planting at local and state conferences. I look forward to learning more about your vision for church planting.

Clare Jewell is national church planting coordinator for Regular Baptist Ministries.