Church Planter Assessment Archives - Passion for Planting

How Do I Discern a Call to Church Planting?

Sean Cronin — Fri, 27 Nov 2020 10:00:01 +0000

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How Do I Discern a Call to Church Planting?

By New Churches Team

Discerning a call to church planting is a process. A lot of it is intangible. When Ed Stetzer planted his first church, he was not assessed or coached and did not have access to an online tool. But in all of those cases, he and his wife planted a church because God directed them to do so. Prayer was the only thing they had to help them discern the call. But Ed states that he would have had a lot less grief through the process if they had done more to first understand the call to church planting.

What Are the Steps?

You must go through an assessment process. This helps steward your life, ministry, and family. First, take an in-depth screening with an organization. A good option to take is LifeWay’s Church Planter Candidate Assessment tool. Then present yourself to your church elders and, through the elders, any organization your church partners with that could help you through the process. Finally, do a larger and deeper assessment process through an assessment center. If you still feel a call to church planting after going through those steps, find ways to dip your toe into church planting. Consult your church or a church planting organization for ways to do this.

Do I Need a Burden for a Location?

There is a huge role in the notion of a call and a distinct burden to a particular city or neighborhood. It is beneficial to fast and pray until God has given you a “come over here and help us” moment. Ed does not think you should plant a church until you have a deep burden for the people and the place where you believe you are supposed to plant a church because that burden and sense of certainty in your call will be the only thing that gets you through some days. Successful church planting most often relies on that burden.

Do I Need My Church’s Support?

In Ed’s case, he was turned down by the mission board to plant a church, but he and his wife felt such a call that they went anyway. But he feels that it is much better to go in community with direction from your elders and your church. And if everyone is telling you that you should not be a church planter – that God has not wired you that way – but you do it anyway, the end result will be problematic and confusing. It is much better to approach church planting with a community of support.

Adapted from the New Churches Q&A Podcast Episode 473: Discerning a Call. Click here to listen to more to church planting, multisite, and multiplication tips.

Source: How Do I Discern a Call to Church Planting?

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Episode 467: Am I Called to Be a Church Planter?

Sean Cronin — Fri, 28 Feb 2020 10:00:28 +0000

by NewChurches.com: In Episode 467 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss discerning a call for church planting.

“I’m slowly trying to discern whether or not I am called to be a church planter. What do you suggest as when to ask a pastor for training or what to do?”

In This Episode, You’ll Discover:

Why an assessment tool is helpful
How to connect with church leaders about church planting

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

“If your community are positive about you going into the ministry, then the next step is to see if you have the wiring to do so.” – @edstetzer
“There’s probably a fork in the road coming: do I go get more education or do I plant?” – @edstetzer
“First, explore if your church wants to send you out.” – @danielsangi
“If you are trying to discern if you are called to plant a church, and you discern that it’s a yes, don’t assume it will happen right away.” – @danielsangi
“Take the CPCA as a pre-assessment, and then take a full assessment at a church planter assessment center.” – @edstetzer
“Help your children see that part of the Christian life is that sometimes God calls you to move.” – @edstetzer
“If you are wrestling with this, lay it before the Lord and invite other people into that discernment process.” – @danielsangi

Recommended Resources:

Take the Church Planter Candidate Assessment
Learn more about NAMB
Learn more about the NAMB Church Planter Assessment
Read Planting Missional Churches by Ed Stetzer and Daniel Im

Help us Multiply the Mission:

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This Episode’s Sponsor:

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The post Episode 467: Am I Called to Be a Church Planter? appeared first on NewChurches.com – Church Planting, Multisite, and Multiplication.

Source: Episode 467: Am I Called to Be a Church Planter?

The post Episode 467: Am I Called to Be a Church Planter? appeared first on Passion for Planting.

Episode 216: Church Planting Assessments

Patrick Bradley — Tue, 10 Oct 2017 09:00:07 +0000

by NewChurches.com: How important are church planting assessments?

In Episode 216 of the NewChurches Q&A Podcast, Daniel and Ed discuss church planting assessments. Here’s Casey with today’s question:

How do you prepare for a church planting assessment? How do you advise someone who did not do well on the assessment?

In this episode, you’ll discover:

How a church planting assessment works and why it is beneficial.
Six indicators of whether you’re ready to plant missional churches.

Shareable Quotes (#NewChurches):

“Every church planter is a pastor but not every pastor is a church planter.”–@danielsangi
“If you don’t theologically align with the movement you’re in, you shouldn’t plant churches with them.”–@edstetzer
“Assessments needs to be part of the process, but it shouldn’t be the first part if you’re trying discern if church planting is for you.”–@danielsangi
“Knowing that this call is more than just an assessment matters.”–@edstetzer

Additional Resources:

Read Defining and Practicing Missional
Read about The Value of Church Planter Assessment and Boot Camps
Read Are You a Church Planter or Pirate?

Help us Multiply the Mission:

The post Episode 216: Church Planting Assessments appeared first on New Churches.

Source: Episode 216: Church Planting Assessments

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