We Are Send Network

If you’re thinking about planting a church, there are three essential elements you must incorporate. In this episode, our co-hosts discuss why prayer, preparation and planning are essential for prospective planters to consider and live out.

Virtually every church plant and pastor needs — or wants — more leaders. But what should pastors be looking for in the potential leaders who sit among them every week? In this episode, hosts Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner discuss their top three leadership qualities they look for as they seek to intentionally identify and train leaders.

With so much going on in the church and in the lives of your members, engaging your city can feel daunting. And with so many needs, it can be hard to know where to start. In this episode, our hosts talk about how and why we should engage our city and communities, practical ideas about where your church can begin and how to holistically engage your city and community — spiritually, emotionally, economically and socially.

Pastors and church planters, how are you feeling as you lead your churches through this season of political divisiveness and struggle? It can seem our country — and sometimes our churches — are more divided along political lines than in recent history. In this episode, our cohosts discuss how they’ve been leading their churches in this political season and how to help your church pursue unity, love and how to lock arms for the greater mission. This was filmed in October — prior to election day and the final results of the 2020 election.

A lot of church plants don’t make it to their fifth birthday. And sadly, fewer church plants survive if their planting pastor leaves within the first few years. How does a church planter ensure his church will endure, even if he isn’t around? In this episode, our hosts talk about what elements and systems a planter must establish in order to thrive for the long-haul. Multiplication Pipeline helps you train leaders in your church and send them on mission. Learn more at namb.net/pipeline.

It takes a lot to plant a church, but there are key skills and characteristics every church planter needs. Using a new, creative format, hosts Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner discuss what they each believe are the top three skills every church planter needs to plant a church.

Discerning the call to plant a church can be tough. It’s unique and personalized to each planter, but there are also common aspects that manifest differently in people’s lives. There’s a lot to consider, and in this episode, hosts Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner help future church planters and sending and multiplying churches know what to look for, what questions to ask and the hard reality of church planting.

Sometimes, pastors and church planters end up taking care of everyone — except themselves — and the grind of ministry wears them down to the point of exhaustion or burnout. Is it selfish to care for yourself so you can better care for those around you? In this episode, We are Send Network hosts Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner talk about the importance of self-care for leaders and practical ways pastors can take care of themselves in busy seasons and beyond.

If you’re a pastor, church planter or in any ministry leadership position, dealing with criticism is unavoidable. Now—perhaps more than ever—pastors are bombarded with emails, phone calls and text messages about how they ought to be handling things. But how should they respond to these criticisms? Is there some criticism that’s helpful and others that are harmful? In this episode, Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner will discuss hard criticism, helpful criticism, and harmful criticism and how to respond to each.

There’s a lot of church planting networks out there. But what makes Send Network unique? In this episode, Dhati Lewis, Noah Oldham and Heiden Ratner discuss who Send Network is, where we’re going and how we’ve seen our values play out this year.