3 More Tools for Assessing Church Planters 1

After we receive the Informed Consent, Church Planter’s Profile, and Background Check (see previous post for more information), we provide three additional formal assessment tools.

Small Group Leader’s Assessment. We ask the potential planter’s small group leader to provide an assessment (for both husband and wife if applicable). The majority of this assessment is based on The Barnabas Factors: Eight Essential Practices of Church Planting Team Members; however, a few other questions relate to character, disciple making, overall health, and family matters.

Prepare and Enrich. This is an excellent on-line tool for couples examining marital health. There is a small cost for the use of this tool.

Leadership Assessment. Our leadership assessment is unique. There is no other resource like it. I worked with Foxworthy and Associates and The Lions Lead, to develop an on-line assessment for potential church planters. It uses the best components of several behavioral, personality, and leadership assessments and is customized to what I believe is critical for the church planting task. This tool assesses in the areas of: 1) Sharing the Gospel Regularly and Intentionally; 2) Starting Small Groups from Scratch with New Believers; 3) Leading a Small Group of Believers to Understand Biblical Teachings; 4) Raising Up Leaders from New Small Groups; 5) Visionizing Capacity; 6) Personal Motivation; 7) Creating Ownership of Ministry; 8) Cooperating Well with Spouse; and 9) Maintaining Flexibility and Adaptability.

We expect both spouses to participate in the leadership assessment. It is lengthy, thorough, and pricey (but well worth it). This is not a resource available to the masses, but customized for The Church at Brook Hills. I am told that some folks are using it in Southeast Asia. If you are interested in finding out more, contact Fox (fox@brookhills.org) and tell him J. D. sent ya.

The informal aspects of our Assessment Step involve watching people serve, hallway conversations, coffee and meals together, an office visit here, a home visit there. You get the picture.