About the Nehemiah Project

After five years, 90 percent of Nehemiah Project graduates are still on the field building the churches they planted. During the same five years, 85 percent of non-Nehemiah church planters have not been able to stay on the field. The reasons are many, but overall, when one takes a look at the comprehensive strategy employed by the Nehemiah Project, the statistics are not surprising.

The Nehemiah Project is a cooperative strategy that links Southern Baptist churches, associations, state conventions and Canada, training institutions, and the North American Mission Board to intentionally prepare church planters to plant healthy, reproducing churches.

Nehemiah Project planters receive funding through many sources, most notably the North American Mission Board (family health insurance plus a salary), their cooperating Southern Baptist State or Canadian Convention (normally states will match NAMB's funding), their local Baptist Association, one or more local churches, and their friends and family.

Nehemiah Project requirements:

  • Complete initial assessment with Nehemiah Center Director, Dr. Jack Allen.
  • Take two classes. Click for a list of approved courses.
  • Complete a 10-13 week church planting internship
  • Once on the field, take field-based Basic Training with your State or Canadian Baptist Convention (click here for a preview of BT)
It all begins with God's leading. If you feel that He is calling you toward church planting, let me know. I am here to help you investigate and confirm your leading.

To be approved as a Nehemiah Project church planter: complete the form (here), hit send, meet with Jack, and complete the program requirements.

  1. Take two of Dr. Allen's courses from the list on the Classroom stuff page (not including the internship courses). You can find a current course schedule at www.nobts.edu or send a note to daycenter@nobts.edu.
  2. Complete a 10-13 week Internship. Most internships include a stipend from $75-$150 per week. You may take the internship for course credit or not. In some cases, like when you've planted a successful church in the past, we may be able to adjust the internship requirement.
  3. Complete a deeper, personal assessment. When you're ready to choose your field of service we do a deeper assessment of your needs and experiences. If you're married, we assess you and your spouse as a couple.
  4. Complete Basic Training. Within your first six months on the field, you (and your spouse) participate in a week-long training exercise.