Cultivate - Calvary Chapel Church Planting

Before you plant a church, there are some important questions you need to ask. In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly sits down with church planter and pastor Pilgrim Benham to discuss five essentials every church planter should consider: God’s call, a clear gospel vision, qualified leadership, dependence on the Lord, and people. They share practical lessons from their own church planting experiences, including building a launch team, knowing when to start Sunday services, finding the right ministry context, and trusting God to build His church. Whether you’re preparing to plant or already in the process, this conversation offers practical wisdom for building a healthy and fruitful church.

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Calvary Chapel Cooperative: https://calvarychapelcooperative.com

In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly sits down with longtime pastor and church planter Bruce Zachary to discuss the story behind the Calvary Chapel Church Planting Manual. Bruce shares his remarkable testimony of coming to faith from a Jewish background, his years serving under Pastor Chuck Smith, and planting Calvary Nexus over 30 years ago.

The conversation explores why biblical preparation matters, how the Church Planting Manual came into existence, and why thousands of pastors around the world have found it to be an invaluable resource. They also discuss the mission of the Calvary Chapel Cooperative, the importance of mentoring and coaching church planters, and practical ways churches can better equip the next generation of leaders.

Whether you’re considering planting a church, currently leading one, or simply interested in healthy ministry leadership, this episode offers practical wisdom rooted in Scripture and decades of experience.

Key Points

• Bruce Zachary shares his testimony of coming to Christ through Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa.

• Lessons learned from over 30 years of church planting and pastoral ministry.

• Why the Church Planting Manual was written after recognizing the need for better preparation.

• The difference between biblical church planting principles and business-driven growth strategies.

• How Pastor Chuck Smith encouraged the manual’s widespread distribution.

• The structure and purpose of the Church Planting Manual.

• Why intentional training and mentoring improve long-term church planter health.

• Common reasons church planters become discouraged and how to address them.

• The vision and purpose of the Calvary Chapel Cooperative.

• How Cultivate Church Planting supports pastors before and after launch.

• Encouragement for aspiring church planters to pursue training, mentorship, and healthy expectations.

• The importance of building gospel-centered churches around the world.

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Calvary Chapel Cooperative: https://calvarychapelcooperative.com

What does ministry look like in the military? In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly sits down with Dr. Chris Bassett, a military chaplain, church planter, former police officer, and professor at Calvary Chapel Bible College.

Chris shares his remarkable journey from being saved at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa under Chuck Smith’s ministry to serving 35 years in the military, including deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. Along the way, he offers unique insights into the role of chaplains, the spiritual needs of service members, and how ministry often happens far beyond the walls of a church.

The conversation explores the similarities between church planting and chaplaincy, the importance of spiritual presence in difficult environments, the reality of pastoral burnout, and new opportunities for veterans pursuing ministry training through Calvary Chapel Bible College.

Whether you’re a church planter, pastor, missionary, veteran, or someone exploring a call to chaplaincy, this episode provides practical wisdom and encouragement for taking the gospel into challenging places.

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Cultivate is part of the Calvary Chapel Cooperative: https://calvarychapelcooperative.com

Pledge to Plant: https://tally.so/r/3xj2BG

In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly sits down with Justin Thomas, president and dean of Calvary Chapel Bible College, to discuss how much biblical knowledge a pastor or church planter should have before stepping into ministry. Justin emphasizes that while no church planter begins fully prepared, pastors must be committed to becoming lifelong learners who continue growing in Scripture, theology, and practical ministry. The conversation explores the balance between calling and training, the dangers of pride or anti-intellectualism in ministry, the importance of mentorship and community, and how Bible college can provide both biblical foundations and lifelong relationships that sustain pastors over time.

Episode Highlights

• Justin explains why church planters need both a clear calling and an ongoing commitment to biblical growth.

• Discussion about Calvary Chapel’s history of sending out young pastors while still emphasizing discipleship and mentorship.

• Brian and Justin talk about how Bible college creates both biblical foundations and meaningful ministry community.

• The importance of having trusted peers, mentors, and relationships during difficult seasons of ministry.

• A practical conversation about humility in ministry and avoiding both arrogance and complacency.

• Justin shares how many students discover their calling and direction for ministry through the “pivot” experience at Bible college.

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Pledge to Plant: https://tally.so/r/3xj2BG

In this collaborative episode between Cultivate Church Planting and Expositors Collective, Brian Kelly and Mike Neglia explore the true nature of church planting through a biblical lens. Moving beyond the modern “startup” mindset, they frame church planting as cultivation—an organic, Spirit-dependent work that requires calling, team, perseverance, and faithfulness. Brian shares lessons from multiple church plants, emphasizing that success is not measured by visible results but by obedience to God in the present. The conversation also addresses the emotional weight of planting, the importance of teamwork, and the danger of viewing ministry through a purely entrepreneurial framework.

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Episode Highlights

* Church planting is better understood as cultivation than a business startup

* Faithfulness in the present matters more than visible success or failure

* A healthy church plant requires a committed team, not just a strong leader

* Perseverance through discouragement is essential in every planting season

* Excellence in small details shapes how people experience the church

In this episode, Brian Kelly and Nick Cady discuss who should plant churches and how churches can raise up and send out planters. They emphasize that the key qualifications are not perfection or full preparation, but spiritual health, humility, and teachability. Church planting requires faith, sacrifice, and a willingness to do uncomfortable things, but growth often happens in “need to know” and “need to grow” moments. They also highlight practical steps for pastors, including openly talking about church planting, creating internships or residencies, and inviting others into the process. Ultimately, God uses ordinary, imperfect people who are willing to step out in faith.

Episode Highlights

• Church planters should be spiritually healthy, teachable, and willing to step into discomfort

• Most people feel unqualified, but growth happens as you step out in faith

• “Need to know” and “need to grow” moments are where real development happens

• Pastors can start by simply talking about church planting and casting vision publicly

• Creating internships or residencies is one of the most effective ways to raise up leaders

• Church planting often requires bi-vocational work, fundraising, and deep dependence on God

• God consistently uses ordinary, flawed people who are willing to obey

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Pledge to Plant: https://tally.so/r/3xj2BG

In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly interviews Rob Salvato about his 30-year pastoral journey at Calvary Vista, including a thoughtful and Spirit-led transition to his successor and the church’s culture of church planting. Rob shares how he intentionally prepared his church for leadership transition by gradually releasing control, empowering staff, and cultivating a servant-leadership mindset. He also recounts his first church plant in Oregon, lessons learned about bi-vocational ministry, focusing on doing one thing well, and the importance of having a genuine burden for a city. The conversation highlights practical strategies for training church planters, investing deeply in future leaders, and recognizing that seasons of planting and supporting are directed by the Lord.

Episode Highlights

• Why pastors should begin planning succession long before they feel ready to step aside

• The importance of slowly “letting go of the reins” to prepare both heart and congregation for transition

• A real-life example of a healthy pastoral handoff after 30 years of leadership

• Lessons from Rob’s first church plant, including why he now recommends getting a part-time job to integrate into the community

• The wisdom of doing one thing really well when starting a church, instead of launching multiple ministries too quickly

• A structured, year-long training pipeline Calvary Vista used to prepare church planters across every ministry area

• Why investing deeply in leaders before sending them out produces long-term fruit

• The mindset shift from “losing your best people” to seeing God raise up the next generation

• Recognizing seasons of planting versus seasons of supporting and coming alongside other church planters

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The Cultivate Church Planting Website: https://cultivatechurchplanting.com

Pledge to Plant: https://tally.so/r/3xj2BG

In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planting Podcast, Brian Kelly and his guest speak directly to pastors leading healthy existing churches and challenge common objections to church planting. The conversation reframes church planting not as competition, but as a kingdom-minded responsibility. Using practical experience and vivid illustrations, the episode addresses fear of losing people, fear of losing key leaders, and fear of lacking resources, while emphasizing faith, obedience, and long-term legacy over institutional preservation.

Episode Highlights

• Why small and mid-sized churches are often best positioned to plant healthy churches

• The three main reasons pastors hesitate to plant: competition, losing leaders, and lack of resources

• The “banyan tree vs. banana tree” illustration for unhealthy growth vs. biblical multiplication

• Why sending your best people strengthens, not weakens, the sending church

• How God consistently provides after churches step out in obedience

• A call for pastors to think beyond their own congregation toward lasting kingdom impact

In this episode of the Cultivate Church Planning Podcast, the core team discusses the future of Cultivate as it transitions to an independent ministry from the Calvary Global Network (CGN). They emphasize their commitment to empowering church planters, bridging the two main streams of Calvary Chapel, and expanding partnerships beyond traditional boundaries. The team shares their vision for cultivating new churches and supporting the next generation of leaders, while addressing past hesitations and building trust within the community.