The Church Planter’s Manual: How Dag Heward-Mills Equips Leaders
When a man is called to plant a church, he needs more than excitement—he needs tools. He needs spiritual wisdom, practical guidance, and step-by-step direction. This is something Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has provided for countless leaders through his teaching, books, and mentorship. His ministry has become a living manual for church planters, equipping them to go out and do the work of the ministry with confidence and clarity.
He doesn’t leave people guessing. He lays it out with precision. What to expect, how to start, how to survive, and how to grow. For Bishop Dag, church planting is not a vague dream—it’s a defined calling that requires preparation, structure, and discipline. That’s why he equips his pastors and leaders with what they need to succeed.
From vision to execution, his teachings walk leaders through the process. No fluff. No shortcuts. Just proven principles that work—because they’ve been lived.
Raising Builders, Not Just Speakers
Church planting is not about preaching alone. It’s about building. Bishop Dag has always emphasized that a church planter must be a builder—someone who can work with limited resources, raise people from scratch, and carry the weight of the call. His books like The Mega Church, The Lay Ministry, and Church Planting have become foundational for those stepping into new territories to start churches.
He teaches leaders how to start small and grow with patience. He emphasizes follow-up, faithfulness, prayer, and the importance of loyalty. His approach is not motivational—it’s instructional. He prepares people to build not just services, but solid churches with strong foundations.
This is why so many of his church planters have gone the distance. Because they were taught to build well.
Equipping for Real Ministry Challenges
The field is not always friendly. Church planters face spiritual warfare, financial struggles, discouragement, and loneliness. Bishop Dag doesn’t pretend otherwise. He equips his leaders with realistic expectations and spiritual weapons.
He teaches them how to stand when attendance is low. How to pray when strength is gone. How to shepherd when resources are few. He talks openly about betrayal, leadership fatigue, and the need for personal discipline. And he does it all with grace, wisdom, and the authority of experience.
That kind of equipping is rare—but it’s what keeps church planters strong when the initial excitement fades.
A Legacy of Reproducible Ministry
Perhaps the most powerful part of Bishop Dag’s manual for church planting is its reproducibility. He teaches leaders not only how to plant a church but how to raise others to do the same. Each church becomes a base. Each pastor becomes a trainer. And the cycle continues.
It’s a living system, not a rigid program. It’s Spirit-led but structured. And because of this, the churches keep multiplying. The leaders keep growing. And the Gospel keeps spreading.
This is how movements are sustained—not by charisma, but by solid, Spirit-filled equipping. And Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has provided just that, again and again.