In Parts One and Two of this blog series, we shared how Plant With Purpose’s journey toward U.S. church engagement was shaped by listening carefully to the church. Through research, interviews, and pastoral feedback, one truth became clear: churches are deeply committed to discipleship and outreach, but they are stretched thin and wary of anything that adds complexity or burden.

That insight clarified our goal.

Tend exists to help congregations thrive.

We designed Tend, our 10-week discipleship and outreach curriculum–rooted in creation care, to serve U.S. congregations in three specific ways: by expanding leadership beyond the pastor, by reuniting discipleship and mission, and by helping Christians engage neighbors through collaboration.

1. Expanding Leadership Beyond the Pastor

Churches thrive when leadership is shared.

Pastors cannot and should not carry the full responsibility for discipleship, community formation, and mission. Tend broadens the leadership paradigm by creating accessible pathways for everyday Christians to step into meaningful leadership.

We are not asking pastors to preach better sermons or run better programs. Tend equips ordinary leaders to facilitate discipleship, host community, and lead outreach in ways that fit real life. As leadership multiplies through Tend, churches gain capacity and amplify ministry without exhausting their pastors.

2. Reuniting Discipleship and Mission

Following the pattern of Jesus and the early church, as well as our Plant With Purpose international partners, we believe congregations thrive when discipleship and mission are integrated.

Too often, discipleship becomes only a classroom experience (learning about God) while mission becomes only a volunteer opportunity disconnected from formation. Tend intentionally puts these back together.

In Tend groups, people disciple one another in the context of shared mission, often through a creation care project rooted in their neighborhood. Formation happens through prayer, Scripture, shared meals, and embodied practices that engage real places and real people.

When discipleship is shaped by mission, it becomes relevant and vital. When mission is sustained by discipleship, it becomes meaningful and collaborative.

3. Engaging Neighbors Through Collaboration

Churches thrive when they are actively connected to their neighbors.

Tend offers a different approach to evangelism—one rooted in collaboration rather than pressure. Instead of beginning with persuasion or an invitation to church, Tend invites neighbors to work together on a creation care project.

The shared work of caring for creation, combined with genuine partnership, creates natural space for relationships and faith conversations to grow. Evangelism becomes organic, relational, and grounded in shared purpose.

What We Built to Deliver on These Promises

To make these goals achievable, we made intentional decisions about what Tend would include. We focused on creating a simple, flexible set of tools that empower leaders, integrate discipleship and mission, and invite neighbors into shared practice.

Earthcare Activity Guides

To make creation care a regular spiritual practice, we developed seven Earthcare Activity guides. These activities are rooted in Genesis 2 and affirm creation care as biblical, holistic, formative, and central to God’s intent for humanity.

The activities are designed to inspire awe, awaken participants to the image of God within them, and create natural opportunities for collaboration with neighbors. We intentionally designed the guides to be easy to follow in any context. Requiring almost no preparation, no specialized skills, and little to no cost, these guides make sure that any group, anywhere, can participate.

Dinner & Discussion Guides

We wrote a complete Bible study called Tend the Garden, which traces the metanarrative of God’s redemption of the cosmos through four gardens in Scripture.

The study, the first of many Bible discussion series, is built on discovery rather than lecture, encourages open dialogue, integrates intergenerational and sensory interaction, and is centered around a shared meal. Through Tend, homes become a place of formation, belonging, and theological reflection.

Leader Guide

Because leadership development is central to Tend, we created a comprehensive leader guide that walks Tend group leaders through how to start a Tend group, integrate children, practice hospitality, invite neighbors, and facilitate meaningful discussion. The goal is to provide enough instructions to give first-time leaders confidence to lead well.

Out-of-the-Box Support Tools

Finally, we included a set of practical worksheets and resources: hospitality sign-up sheets, volunteer role sheets, scripture handouts, leader cheat sheets, and progress trackers. With these tools in hand, leaders have everything they need from day one.

What We Learned Through Our Beta Groups

To test whether these tools actually served congregations, we ran beta Tend groups in the fall of 2025. What we learned confirmed and sharpened our vision.

First, groups were effective at much smaller sizes than expected. While we hoped for groups to be about 15 people, groups of just four people reported strong outcomes as well. Even at that scale, the mix of practices drew people outward into mission and neighbor engagement.

Second, intergenerational participation mattered deeply. Groups wanted clearer ways to include children and practice discipleship across generations, not in age-segregated silos.

Third, the curriculum proved highly adaptable. Groups modified activities to fit their abilities, schedules, and contexts, and Tend remained effective. It was designed to flex.

Finally, nearly every group wanted to do it again. The experience was not only meaningful, but sustainable. One beta group leader said, “I don’t want a one-off thing. I want this to be a lifestyle. I don’t want just 10 weeks. I want to keep going.”

Making Tend Easy to Start

Thanks to the vision of Plant With Purpose, the support of the Lilly Endowment, the input from pastors and Christian leaders, the ingenuity of our creative partners, the courage of beta group leaders, and our dedicated church engagement team, Tend is now available as a free resource to churches.

All Tend materials live on an interactive online hub. Prospective group leaders can create a free account, click “Start a Group,” and be guided step-by-step through identifying a co-leader, choosing a study, selecting an activity, and setting a start date.

Users will be able to interact with a customized 10-week plan for their Tend group, complete with printable curriculum and leader resources to support first-time leaders with confidence.

A Clear Goal, A Simple Path

Tend exists for one clear purpose: to help congregations thrive.

Tend does this by equipping a more diverse set of Christian leaders, reuniting discipleship and mission, and collaborating with neighbors in caring for God’s good Earth. 

We’re grateful for the people who helped shape Tend for the church and excited to see how God continues to use it in the life of the church.