OC Incubator Launching on January 8, 2025

ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

Starting and Strengthening Churches

3,186,989 people living in 34 cities in Orange County, California (2020 Census)
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Why Church Planting?

"A vigorous and continuous approach to church planting is the only way to guarantee an increase in the number of believers, and is one of the best ways to renew the whole body of Christ." - Tim Keller

  • We plant churches because we want to be true to the biblical mandate.
  • We plant churches because we want to be true to the Great Commission.
  • We plant churches beceause we want to continually renew the whole body of Christ.
Read Tim Keller's Article

The Story of Beloved Church

The Story of Portrait Church

The Story of OC Church

OC INCUBATOR STARTS Jan 8, 2025

A two-year church planting training program that provides practical tools, coaching, community and funding for starting and growing a new church that is grounded in the gospel and rooted in its neighborhood.

Gospel Fluency and Renewal
What is the value of the gospel for personal growth and not just our conversion? What is the difference between gospel-centered growth and self-help growth? We will spend the weekend exploring these crucial themes. We will also discuss the anatomy and effects of idolatry, particularly those that are common to church planters.

Prayer and Missional Habits
Where in the community can you be sowing evangelistic seeds with your team? What are your church's on-ramps for people checking out your church? What are your core team's missional habits and how are those taught and caught? We will be discussing these very important values and skills sets.
Apprenticeship and Core Team
Developing and training is different than teaching or preaching. People need opportunities to suggest ideas, give input, practice, and have greater buy in. Come learn a model for apprenticeship for your core team that includes internal goals that strenghten your infrastructure and external goals that build missional habits.This is where the description goes.
City Vision, Cultural Engagement, and Contextualization
By default, most planters start churches that inevitably ressemble their past church experiences. What if instead we planted churches that emphasized the community we're planting in, instead of the past? Come and decide what models you want to keep, but also stretch yourself to see the new thing God is doing!
Personal Life of a Leader
In this module we will examine the main characteristics that make for an emotionally healthy leader, including your spiritual habits, the darkside of your leadership, leading out of a healthy marriage, and practicing a regular sabbath. Come ready to step into some healthy rhythms that will sustain you.
Ministry Design
Vision, mission, and values should be central to what you and your team do week to week. Come learn how to design these elements such that they are compelling and helpful to you and your team. You'll also be introduced to our Strategic Planning Document.
Strategic Planning
We will spend the evening strategizing for the next stage of your church plant. Make sure to invite a few core team members to this important day!
Church Finance and Fundraising
Financial sustainability is a challenge for a new start-up. Come learn best practices for both your church and your family during the early years of your church. We recommend you bring your wife if you are married and also a trusted core member to this module. We look forward to bearing witness to God's provision and his wisdom in financial stewardship.
Branding and Marketing
What is your strategy for engaging your church and your community using social media and other mediums? Come learn some of the best practices.
Preaching and Effective Communication
What differentiates a gospel-centered sermon from other types of sermons? How do we preach the gospel from every text to benefit the non-believer and the Christian? Come learn various values and skills for delivering your sermons. You will be asked to preach in front of panel of leaders and be given feedback.
And Coaching
We have certified City to City Coaches to walk alongside you throughout the 2 years and beyond. Each of our coaches have been handpicked to best fit our range of church planters and pastors. Each of our certified coaches have pastoral, ministerial, and Gospel-centered knowledge that benefit both planters and spouses.
Apply here

Pastor Ben Applebee

Orange County Regional Director
Ben Applebee is the lead pastor of Watermark Church in Costa Mesa, California. Watermark planted a church in 2012 in hopes to reach the Latino/Spanish Speaking community in Orange County, a population that makes up about 35% of OC residents. At Watermark, we are one church with two languages, hosting a full service with worship, message, and community all in Spanish

We will be kicking off the 2025/26 City to City Incubator cohort on January 8, 2025 at Watermark Church in Costa Mesa, California.

Qualifications and Goals:
  • A strong sense of calling to church planting in Los Angeles
  • Proven character and integrity
  • Ministry and life experience
  • Affiliation and assessment with a denomination, church planting network, or sending church
  • Pastors and ministry staff of existing churches are encouraged to apply.

Register for Jan 8, 2025 Incubator Kick OFF
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Orange County - English

Watermark Church

3186 Pullman St, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

https://watermarkoc.com/