5 Reasons Church Planters Need Experience Before They Plant

Church Planting 2.0 - the podcast for churchplanting.com with Jeff Hoglen

Calling gets you started. Experience keeps you standing.

You feel called to plant a church—but have you made the deposits that will sustain you when ministry gets hard?

In this episode, Jeff Hoglen explores why serving in a healthy church before launching can shape your readiness for the challenges ahead. Drawing from Paul and Timothy’s relationship, church planting research, and practical ministry experience, Jeff explains how preparation develops the skills, relationships, and resilience a church planter needs.

Whether you’re considering church planting, exploring a residency, or leading a church that could prepare future planters, this episode offers practical next steps.

Five reasons experience matters

It gives you realistic expectations. Learn what everyday ministry looks like so you can recognize progress without measuring your church against someone else’s highlight reel.
It builds accountability. Develop relationships with leaders who know you, recognize your blind spots, and can speak honestly into your decisions.
It teaches you to handle conflict. Learn to navigate difficult conversations with an experienced pastor beside you.
It helps protect you from burnout. Watch healthy leaders practice boundaries, share responsibility, and carry the demands of ministry.
It shows you how to develop leaders. Gain firsthand experience equipping people to serve, lead, and equip others.

Two practical paths to preparation

Jeff explores serving as an associate pastor and entering a church planting residency or Paul–Timothy apprenticeship. Both provide opportunities to preach, lead teams, manage responsibilities, receive correction, and grow under experienced leadership.

You’ll also learn what to look for in a healthy sending church—and why a meaningful residency should include real responsibility, honest feedback, and leaders willing to say, “Not yet.”

Scripture discussed

Acts 16 — Timothy’s reputation and ministry alongside Paul.
Philippians 2 — Timothy’s proven character through serving with Paul.
2 Timothy 3 — Learning firsthand from Paul’s life and hardships.
2 Timothy 2:2 — Entrusting the gospel to faithful people who will teach others.
Acts 11:26 — Barnabas and Saul serving and teaching in Antioch.
Acts 13 — The church commissioning and sending Barnabas and Saul.

This week’s challenge

Before you go out, get under healthy leadership. Take an honest inventory:

Have you preached consistently and received constructive feedback?
Have you worked through serious conflict?
Have you built a small group or volunteer team?
Have you managed a ministry budget?
Have you received a “no” or “not yet” and remained faithful?

Identify the experience you still need, then ask a healthy church for an opportunity to serve and grow.

If you’re a lead pastor, consider making room for one future church planter to learn alongside you.

A thought to carry with you

“Preparation doesn’t cancel the calling. It protects the calling.”

Find more church planting resources and coaching at ChurchPlanting.com. Share this episode with a future church planter or a pastor who could help prepare one.

Game plan