KANSAS CITY, Mo—Midwestern Seminary and the North American Mission Board’s (NAMB) Send Network launched their newly established partnership by hosting nine residential master’s students during a Send Network gathering of church planters.
During their week in Fort Worth, students heard from Send Network leaders in main sessions, participated in special events with Send Network Vice President of Mobilization Matt Carter reserved for Midwestern Seminary students, and connected with church planters throughout the region.
Each session centered around one of Send Network’s five values: 1) seek first the Kingdom, 2) deepen devotion, 3) stick together, 4) think multiplication, and 5) engage the city.
“Our students were able to witness Send Network’s passion for and dedication to not only church planting, but Kingdom expansion,” said Jordan Wilbanks, director of church partnerships at Midwestern Seminary. “There were layers of paradigm shifts happening for our students regarding how church planting is most effective in communities that need biblical churches.”
Cameron Hinson, a residential master’s student at the seminary, said of the event, “I’m thankful for the Send Network for reorienting my heart around the heart behind church planting. If we plant a church but aren’t focused on making disciples for Christ, then we’re doing something wrong. Church planting that impacts the Kingdom brings real change, joy, and hope to people, something we can’t get without our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
Campbell Terry, another master’s student interested in church planting, said, “Thank you Send Network for allowing us to have this opportunity. It was so refreshing and encouraging to see what God has done through this experience. This has been a life-changing couple of days.”
Reflecting on the week, Wilbanks said, “Seeing this week transform and sharpen our student’s thinking and engage their missional heartbeats—this was as impactful for me as anything I’ve participated in since I began my role in 2016. And like them, I returned with thoughts of Kingdom advance echoing through me.”
Midwestern Seminary’s Partnership with the Send Network
Midwestern Seminary’s new partnership features regular participation in Send Network events such as the gathering in Texas. Additionally, the partnership will give further opportunities for For the Church Cohort students to: 1) undergo the Send Network Assessment, 2) attend the annual Send Network week on Midwestern Seminary’s campus, 3) connect with key Send Network leaders through quarterly video calls, 4) travel to select Send Cities for vision trips and Send Network events, and more.
The Southern Baptist Convention launched the Send Network in 2011. Today, the Send Network is one of the largest church planting networks in North America, consisting of more than 4,400 Send Network churches and 48,000 partner churches. The network has helped plant more than 10,000 churches since its inception.
The Send Network’s purpose of equipping churches to plant churches everywhere for everyone has led them to initiate campaigns such as Send Relief, Who’s Your One, and the Send Conference.
Midwestern Seminary’s new partnership with the Send Network is in the continued effort to equip pastors and ministry leaders for the Church through church planting. Each aspect of the partnership reflects the desire to equip the next generation of church planters and ministry leaders.
Within the program, students will have the opportunity to undergo the Send Network Assessment. The Send Network Assessment measures a student’s readiness for ministry in three specific areas: ministry capacity, personal character, and marriage (if applicable). Upon completion of the assessment, students may enter the Send Network’s church planter pipeline.
The new partnership also establishes an annual Send Network week on the seminary’s campus. This week will feature key Send Network leaders in training sessions, lunch panels, chapel sermons, cohort gatherings, and one-on-one meetings on campus. Send Network leaders will follow up with students on quarterly video calls, continuing to provide training for those called to plant, re-plant, minister co-vocationally, etc.
Additionally, FTC Cohort students will have the opportunity to participate in the annual Vision Summit in Alpharetta, along with an annual vision trip to a select Send City. Through each trip, students can meet and learn from the Send Network team of church planters in their own unique context.
To learn more about NAMB’s Send Network, visit https://www.namb.net/send-network/. To apply to Midwestern Seminary’s For the Church Cohorts program and experience the benefits of the partnership, visit https://www.mbts.edu/degrees/masters-studies/ftc-cohorts/.
