Frequently Asked Questions For
Incubator Collective
FAQ 01
Is the Incubator currently available outside New York City?
Yes, the Incubator Collective DAY program is currently available in select cities worldwide through City to City and affiliated networks. However, the details of the program differ in each city.
Incubator Collective EVENING is only available in New York City with new cohorts starting every fall in The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens (Spanish speaking), and Jersey City.
FAQ 02
How much does the program cost?
Thanks to the generosity of our giving community, Redeemer City to City covers training materials, and meals. However, participation in the program does require a serious commitment to the sessions and the session assignments.
FAQ 03
How are training sessions structured?
Each training session is preceded by readings, reflection, and field work to prepare you for discussion, application and practice during the session. (There is little emphasis on lecture.) Ideally, each learning module is followed by a meeting with a cohort of peers and a facilitator to discuss the covered material and plot out next steps.
Each session contains three primary elements:
1. Gospel community building. This involves:
A time for planters to get to know each other and bring the problems they face to the learning community for support and counsel gospel dynamics addressing the practicalities of gospel living kingdom-centered prayer with and for one another.
2. Theologically informed thinking and praxis.
Research has indicated that a key competency for church planters and pastors is “reflective practice” (some call this ortho-praxis), which is the ability to apply the insights of theology and the social sciences to the everyday concerns of ministry life.
3. New skill training. Each session is designed to strengthen the core competencies required for church planting.
FAQ 04
What is the program schedule?
The Incubator Collective program is a two year program.
Incubator Collective Day: Full time Pastors/Planters
• Year one requires participants to participate in one full day session a month that runs from 9am-3pm on a Thursday to complete 16 modules.
• Year two requires participants to participate in one full day session a month that runs from 9am-3pm on a Thursday to complete 8 Master Classes.
Incubator Collective Evening: Bi-vocational Pastors/Planters
• Year one of the program requires Two evenings per month from 6:45pm-9:45pm. Running on a biweekly rotation.
• In Year two participants will complete the program by attending a series of Master Classes held on Saturdays.
FAQ 05
What are the learning modules?
Year One
Gospel Fluency I & II
Defining the gospel as a dynamic, a doctrine, and a story that is central to every part of our lives and ministries. Exploring the holistic nature of the gospel and the ways that it redefines our identity and impacts our cities.
Gospel Renewal I & II
Differentiating the gospel from moralism and relativism by building a framework for renewal through the gospel. Identifying how the gospel changes our hearts by rooting out our idols and re-centering our faith and our mission in Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Networking and Gathering I & II
Developing necessary skills for planters to engage relationally in their communities for the purposes of evangelism and mission. Discovering how to planters must strategically gather both Christians and non-Christians using creative pathways.
Kingdom Prayer
Developing a culture and practice of missional prayer in our church plants with the goal of neighborhood and city renewal.
City Vision
Providing a gospel-centered vision for the whole city and a framework for understanding the complexity of forces at play in the cities we serve.
Cultural Engagement
Describing four models of cultural engagement and building skills for learning and engaging our communities with humility.
Contextualization
Beginning the ongoing process of understanding our contexts and adapting our ministries so that the gospel is applied in new ways.
Personal Life of the Leader I & II
Dealing with the leader’s whole person and family history to produce sustainable and healthy rhythms of life. Experiencing personal healing and learning habits and skills for organizational leadership.
Wholistic Mission
Presenting a theological framework for the wholistic mission of the church that integrates four ministry fronts.
Mercy and Justice
Identifying the historical, theological, and spiritual foundations of mercy and justice and the principles that shape the church’s engagement in their communities for lasting change.
Ministry Design
Processing the critical role and different components of strategic leadership in church planting and the decisions planters must make in the early stages of their plant.
Year Two - Master Classes
Evangelism
Discipleship
Preaching I & II
Community Engagement
Leadership*
Movement Dynamics*
Faith & Work*
*Required in Year two of Incubator Collective DAY
FAQ 06
What are the required reading and learning assignments?
Incubator participants should expect to devote a significant amount of time each month to preparation for the next class session. Reading assignments include:
• White papers/articles (accessible through CTC’s online learning platform)
• Videos
• Selections from Center Church (Tim Keller)
In addition to reading, participants will be required to complete practical ministry projects for each learning module.
FAQ 07
What is expected of participants?
This program will require a high commitment level in order to get the most out of it. In return, you will have trainers and a cohort of peers who will support you in your church planting journey.
Before you proceed with the application process, please review the expectations below to determine whether the program is right for you.
1. You plan to plant or are already planting/replanting a new congregation/parish in the greater NYC area. You will make every effort to bring this church planting project to fruition.
2. If you are not already part of a church planting network or denomination, you will explore possibilities for affiliation and evaluate those opportunities in conjunction with your coach (see #6).
3. You will take the initiative in regularly updating the Incubator Collective facilitators on the status of your church planting project and all related activities. At any time during the program, if you are unable to continue with this church planting project or if you engage in conduct unbecoming a minister of the gospel (e.g. moral issues), you will inform the facilitators immediately.
4. You will complete all of the assigned pre-reading and practical projects before arriving at each session.
5. You will attend each of the monthly Incubator sessions in their entirety. A detailed program calendar will be provided after admission into the program, and you will need to plan ahead to avoid conflicts with the dates provided. Each session will run from 9am to 4pm. More than two absences from these sessions will be grounds for dismissal for the program even if you give advance notice that you will be absent.
6. You will secure a coach who is able to help you apply the principles that you are learning in the Incubator modules as you plant your church. If needed, CTC will help you find a qualified coach.
FAQ 08
Tell me about the application process.
1. Candidates fill out an inquiry form to tell us more about their background and plans to start a church.
• Recommended reading
• Church planting assessment
• Submitting a sermon
• Face-to-face meeting
FAQ 09
What are the qualifications for applying to the program?
• A strong sense of calling to church planting in NYC
• Proven character and integrity
Ministry experience
• Affiliation with a denomination, church planting network, or sending church
• Able to commit fully to program schedule
FAQ 10
What are the application deadlines? When are acceptance decisions communicated?
June 30: Final deadline for candidates to return their applications for September cohort.
Generally, candidates will be informed of the admission decision at least one month prior to the start date.
I still have questions. Can I talk with someone from the City to City team about this?