Launching, equipping, and inspiring the local church
here in Southern California.

Will you be a part of reaching California and beyond?

Between 2010 and 2021, Plant SoCal has started over 100 churches in SoCal. These have been urban, suburban, and in some cases, even rural churches. They have held services in a variety of languages, English, Spanish, Arabic, Korean- to name a few. Despite planting more churches in SoCal than any other organization, it is not enough. By 2050, California will need an estimated 10,000 more churches to keep pace with the population growth. Plant SoCal is committed to planting 250 churchesin the next ten years. In order to accomplish this, we have a created a unique process just for SoCal planters.

How do I get started?

Schedule an interview with one of the church planting directors.
Take the Initial Screening Assessment: Click the link below and do the Initial Screening Assessment. Once completed, you will receive a copy of the report and Plant SoCal will follow up with you.

start today

Frequently Asked
Questions

How long is the process to plant a church?

The timeline varies and is based on three major factors- how long have you lived in your community,
what approach you take to planting (Micro Church, Traditional approach, etc.), and how fast your launch
team grows. For example- if you’re moving into a new area, it will likely take 9 months to get settled in
and meet people but if you have lived in the community, you likely have established relationships with
people. Plant SoCal is committed to keeping the assessing and training process as short as possible.

What is a parent church?

A parent church assumes the l administrative and often the legal oversight of the church plant in the first two years of its existence. A parent church does not tell the planter how to plant but lifts some of the non-ministry burden so that the planter can concentrate on reaching people. A parent church is a source of encouragement and support. The relationship between the parent church and the church plant is established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

How soon can I promote my church plant?

Once you have signed a MOU with your parent church, you are free to promote your plant on social media and to fundraise.

Are there certain times of the year that are preferred to launch a church?

We work with three planting seasons in the year: the second weekend of January; Easter or two weeks before, and the beginning September. Of course, we do consider exceptions.

How many people need to be on my launch team?

It takes 25 people, ages 16 years or older, before a plant can submit its application with the SoCal Network. The more people on the launch team, the larger the grant that is available.

What funding can I receive from the SoCal Network?

We have three levels of funding, based on the amount of money raised by the planter and the size of the launch team. As a grant, these funds do not need to be repaid. 25 people and $5,000 in cash and pledges raised: 50 people and $10,000 in cash and pledges raised: 75 people and $15,000 in cash and pledges raised: When can I submit the Church Plant Application? $5,000 grant $10,000 grant $15,000 gran

When can I submit the Church Plant Application?

You can submit your plant application after you have a parent church MOU and at least 25 members on your launch team. You MUST submit it at least 30 days before the official launch.

Do you work with partners?

Yes. We have partnerships with CMN, Stadia, Portable Church and Outreach Marketing. Others are being developed. You can find links on our website, www.plantsocal.org.

The Lobby

What is The Lobby? It's not a conference. Rather than featuring speakers up on the main stage, our speakers give TED style talks followed by Q and A and interaction with the audience. The crowd is kept intentionally small- around 100 people.

Next Date Coming Soon

Meet the team.

Frank Wooden

Plant SoCal Director

Frank Wooden has been the Director of Plant SoCal for the past 8 years. He formerly served as the Lead Pastor of San Diego Hope Church where he helped to start 7 new churches in three years. He has a Masters in Nonprofit Leadership and Management from the University of San Diego. He is married to Desiree, a charter school administrator.

David Araujo

Assistant Director, Ethnic Planting

David Araujo is co-lead pastor at The Heart LA Church along side his wife, Randall Araujo of 11 years. They have three children, Ryan, Rose, and Raegan. He has a bachelors degree in Fine Arts and Design from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and a Masters in Education from Biola University.