Church Planting

Working with Alan McWilliam, the European Director of Forge, as well as Forge Ireland, the locally based team, this course is offered by those carrying a wealth of experience, knowledge and skill-honing in planting churches across Ireland and the UK.

To indicate your interest in this course please contact Forge Ireland at info@forgeireland.com

Application for this course is made directly with Forge at https://www.forgeireland.com/apply-now/ 

Course cost is £500, payable to Forge Ireland.

ABOUT THE FORGE PIONEER COURSE

The Forge Pioneer Course is a leadership training and mentoring programme for those who sense that God might be leading them into creating new expressions of church. Through a combination of teaching, mentoring and assignments, our aim is to prepare people to launch into what God is calling them to do. Forge Ireland is led by active missional practitioners who are able to offer significant experiential training in pioneering contexts.

The purpose of the pioneering course is to validate the pioneering spirit, creating a beachhead for making Kingdom ground and championing a voice for change in church as we know it.

The pioneer course explores the questions raised by church, culture & Kingdom as well as fostering relationships between like-minded, Kingdom-seeking trail-blazers and connects them with others on the same journey.

WHO ARE WE LOOKING FOR?

We are looking for people who are maturing Christians; those thinking they may be called to pioneering new expressions of church, who are able to set aside this ‘season’ for a period of investment.

Entry to the Forge pioneer course is not based on academic ability but rather on calling, gifting and potential. We are looking for evidence of a relationship with God, and a growing and outward expression of faith which is maturing and bearing fruit. Each person must be able to commit to the training, personal study and time in their mission context. They must be willing to serve, be teachable, self-supporting and self-motivated. We are looking for people who are willing to serve in a local church context and see Forge as a means of achieving this.

We are looking for people for whom this information whets their appetite and who feel the Holy Spirit stirring them to pursue this further!

TRAINING

For the 2023-24 course we are exploring a hybrid of online, in-person and residential training. Our training will primarily be delivered through 3 Hubs: Belfast, Dublin and online. Throughout the year we’ll meet in these Hubs for training days. These will be a mixture of onscreen and in-person teaching and breakout conversations. We’d suggest that you make every effort to join your nearest geographical Hub but there is also an online option. All 3 Hubs will come together for a January residential weekend.

COURSE THEMES

The course covers 5 main areas:

Personal spiritual development
Living a missional lifestyle
Church in today’s culture
Building a discipleship culture
Missional leadership

PERSONAL STUDY

It is expected that each participant will put in a minimum of 3 hours per week of personal study and reflection. Alongside recommended reading to accompany the training, there are also tasks and reflective writing pieces set between the training dates.

MISSIONAL CONTEXT

Forge exists to help practitioners learn on the job and so it is expected that you will have a missional context where you are applying your learning throughout the course. The missional context will be clarified and agreed with each participant at the start of the course.

COURSE DATES

22nd – 23rd Sept 2023

Residential. Friday – Saturday in Ballyards Castle Armagh.

25th Nov 2023

Gathering in Hubs 10am-4pm. (Belfast & Dublin)

13th Jan 2024

Gathering in Hubs 10am-4pm. (Belfast & Dublin)

9th March 2024

Gathering in Hubs 10am-4pm. (Belfast & Dublin)

24th – 25th May 2024

Residential. Friday – Saturday in The Lucan Centre, Dublin.

For further information please email Forge directly on info@forgeireland.com