10 | September 2025
Send Network Ohio – The Training Ground for Church Planters In 2024-2025, 52 churches have been planted or replant- ed in Ohio, and each one was led by a church planter. However, before Ohio church planters move from sens- ing the Lord’s call to starting a church, many seek the expertise and training available from Send Network Ohio. Send Network Ohio is part of Send Network, the largest church planting organization in North America and a divi- sion of the North American Mission Board. (NAMB) By Stephanie Heading, managing editor
preparing for what they believe God has called them to.” The Assess step is next and involves numerous online questionnaires. “One of the things I really appreciate about Send Network is the robust nature of our assessment process,” Taylor commented. “We are really doing our best to spend ad- equate time making sure that all the right pieces are in place to set these guys up for not only their personal health, their marital health, and their family health, but also the health of the church they believe God has called them to.” The assessment dives into all areas of a potential church planter’s life. “We ask very specific questions in those realms,” he said. “We get to learn about their marriage and their family, and we dive into some of the dynamics of how they commu- nicate, how they handle conflict with one another.” Candidates also share about their calling, discipleship strategy, and engagement strategy for their community. “One of the things we press huge with our guys is that your community doesn’t just need another worship ser- vice,” Taylor stated. “They need an army of disciples that are going to engage a city with the gospel, make dis- ciples from those who choose to trust Christ, and then from that, we start churches.”
“We’re a family of churches, planting churches every- where for everyone,” said Aaron Taylor, Send Network Ohio church planting catalyst and pastor of Living Hope Church, an eight-year-old church plant in northwest Co- lumbus. “Networks don’t plant churches. Conventions don’t plant churches,” he said. “We believe churches plant church- es.” From expressing interest to launching a church, Send Network Ohio guides hopeful church planters through “The Church Planting Pathway.” The pathway includes a process known as “PACE,” which stands for Prepare, Assess, Care, and Equip. In the Prepare component, church planter candidates are evaluated in nine characteristics or competencies. “It centers on this idea of nine essentials for being a faith- ful and effective church planter,” Taylor explained. “We want to make sure that they have spent adequate time
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