The Antioch Program

Sovereign Grace was born out of a desire to “plant and build” local churches. I like to joke that Antioch is the “and” connecting those two things – planting and building. It’s a program aimed at the intersection of missiology and ecclesiology – helping elders see how those two things are strengthened when they are linked.

The next retreat is happening February 2025 and we’d love to have you join us. 

Who Is Antioch For? 

Antioch is for elderships that desire to grow in outward mission. 

Antioch is named for and based on the example of the church in Antioch in Acts 11-13. It was the first church in the New Testament that intentionally looked beyond itself and proactively sent out Paul and Barnabas to plant churches. We want to build churches in that model and example. 

Antioch is for elderships because we are convinced that churches must be led by a plurality of elders, and that for mission to move forward the whole eldership must be united in its commitment to mission.

We encourage each team to bring all its elders (or as many as possible) to the retreat so that those men can pray and plan and discuss their local situations. 

Antioch is for elderships that desire to grow in outward mission. We want to come alongside churches that desire to grow in outward mission activity like evangelism, church planting, and global mission. Whether you feel stuck in reaching your neighborhood or are about to plant a church and want to keep the momentum going, Antioch aims to help. 

What Should I Expect?

The Antioch retreat is focused on equipping elderships at the intersection of ecclesiology and missiology to be sending churches. The retreat is followed and supported by coaching from the region or from church planting coaches in Sovereign Grace. 

Some key changes we’re making this year: 

• It seems likely we’ll offer this retreat every other year so it’s scheduled for February 2025 and then tentatively for Spring 2027. 

• We’re on the move and we’ll be gathering this time in Orlando, FL. This is to serve our brothers in the Southeast region who are eager to participate. And I’m sure some of our brothers in colder climates will enjoy the warm weather. 

• We’ll uniquely have a whole region going through this. The entire Southeast region is going to do their RAE and then stay for Antioch. I’m excited for the Southeast takeover this year but we'll have some others join as well.

How Did Antioch Start?

“Once we’re healthier then we’ll focus more on evangelism, mission, and church planting” 

I must have said that to myself a dozen times in my first couple years leading my local church in El Paso. We’d been through some challenges as a church and it felt like as soon as we addressed one thing, another thing appeared. I had great desires for connecting with our community, praying toward missions work, and participating in church planting, but they all seemed like something we needed to do once we were “healthier.” 

But after more conversations and reading more of the New Testament our elders came to a clear realization: outward mission was part of church health and contributed to overall church health. In fact, while there are necessary times of mourning or crisis care, outward mission should be part of the church’s very lifeblood.

And over the next few years as we made slow progress in the area of outward mission we watched it ripple out into other areas of the church – the saints were built up, the gathering was more vital and vibrant, and new believers added life and energy. 

Antioch was born out of a conviction that for our churches to be healthy churches in the model of the New Testament, they must be about the work of mission. It aims at helping churches see how the upward (worship) and inward (care and equipping) aspects of church life connect with the outward (mission). 

So much of our pursuit of mission locally was helped and shaped by others in Sovereign Grace who came alongside us. So those of us leading out in the Antioch retreat want to do all we can to faithfully come alongside others. 

What’s Our Hope?

Our hope is to see every church in Sovereign Grace intentionally, effectively, sacrificially, and consistently pursuing church planting and mission work. We believe every church regardless of its size, location, and resources can participate in this work. It will not look the same in every context but should be marked by the same consistent faithful pursuit. Over time, as each church pursues this, who knows what the Lord could do through us? 

How Do I Take a Next Step?

Find out more at our Church Planting Info Mtg. at the Pastors Conference - Wednesday, November 6th at 3 pm.

Our next planned Antioch retreat is February 2025. Please let us know if you’re interested, and we’d love to get you more information. 

Ricky serves on the National Church Planting Group with Sovereign Grace Churches, leading the Antioch Program, and is the lead pastor at Cross of Grace Church in El Paso, TX.

P.S. I wrote an article for the SGC Journal on the church in Antioch and what we can learn from it. That will give you a flavor for the program.