If you've ever thought about starting a church but don't know where to start, this information is for you! Pastor Bogdan Kipko of the Forward Church in Irvine, talks about the church planting training center.
"We help people find hope in Jesus" - this is the mission of Forward Church in Irvine, California. The young church was planted by Pastor Bogdan Kipko and his wife Victoria 5 years ago with the support of the PCSBA’s leadership. Bogdan longs to see other potential church planters respond to God's call in their lives to start new churches. To make this happen, Forward Church responded to the call to become a church planting "training center". What do "training centers" do? – they help churches multiply through targeted development of missionary leaders and church planting groups.
Throughout the pages of Scripture, we see many indications of the multiplication of leaders. In the Old Testament, Moses is given advice: “you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders of thousands, of hundreds, of fifties and of tens.” (Exodus 18:21). In Psalm 32:8, God shows how He works with people: “I will instruct you; I will guide you."
Pastor Bogdan believes that investment in leadership development should matter to us because it matters to God. As part of the Church Planting Residency Program, Forward Church trains church planters, church planting teams and provides appropriate funding. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul sets a good example for us when he tells Timothy, his spiritual son and brother, “What you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, commit this to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
If you ever thought about starting a church, feel called to start a church, or think you're a good fit for a church planting team, but don't know where to start or what to do, please send an email to Bogdan and he'll will be happy to help you:
Bogdan Kipko
A recording of the interview with Bogdan Kipko is available for viewing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZuvVsH_MDo
