The Missional Network

I agree. However it is more than just a "desire" - it must be evidenced in behaviors. One of the greatest deficiencies I see in the potential planters that I asses is their inability to make disciples who make disciples.

So - here are a few questions?

1. If the potential planter isn't a disciplemaker - should you send him to plant a church?
2. If the potential planter isn't a disciplemaker - how will you help him develop disciplemaking skills and behaviors before sending him to plant a church?
3. How are you developing disciplemakers within your current ministry context?

If church leaders/elders/pastors were focused more intentionally on making disciples who make disciples - the assessment process would be a lot easier. You could simply look at a potential planter and because he was making disciples who make disciples who make disciples - you would simply affirm that he was a church planter because of the fruit of his ministry in disciplemaking.

In America in the twenty-first century, churches often start new churches as a way to do evangelism, instead of starting churches because evangelism and disciplemaking are already happening. I’ve heard Peter Wagner’s now famous quote over and over again that “the best method of evangelism under heaven is church planting,” (Church Planting for a Greater Harvest, p 11). I don’t agree. I believe: “The best method of church planting is evangelism and disciplemaking.”
 

 

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DaveDV
www.missionalchallenge.blogspot.com
www.linkedin.com/in/davedevries

You are absolutely correct.   A church planter should be a maven, a people connector along with a discipler.  Don't you think they are a totally different breed from your pastor who moves from one Baptist Church to another and spends most of his time trying to appease those who brought him there. 

We've had some former pastors in our church who want to start a church and a couple who have actually attempted and failed and still have that passion.  But we found they could not even grow a Life group.  These couples had experience, maturity and desire but the missing ingrediant was the ability to attract others.  They wanted their church to do all the recruiting for them.  If they can not grow a Life group, I don't think they will be able to grow a church. 

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John Walters
Calling Pastor
Grace Point Church
San Antonio, Texas

Great statement John: "If they can not grow a Life group, I don't think they will be able to grow a church." This is absolutely true. The best predictor of future performance is past behavior. That's why it is so critical for any assessment process to focus on what a potential church planter has done, and not what he wants to do or intends to do. The reason that many church plants fail is that the planter is planting an "idea of church" (based on all the things they think a church should be) - rather than multiplying disciples and birthing a church from the harvest.

Experience is important - but it's the right kind of experiences that really matter. For example, it's critical that a church planter "consistently reaches out to unbelievers and influences them towards relationship with Christ and the church." How do you measure this behavior?

• Has he been intentional in building relationships with non-Christians?
• Has he been able to bring an unbeliever to a decision for Christ?
  
• Has he introduced spiritual truths in a timely manner?
• Has he demonstrated the ability to assimilate a new believer into the life of the church?
• Has he comfortably related to non-Christians on a personal level?
• Does he currently have numerous relationships with unbelievers that are at various commitment levels?
• Can he often be found hanging out with non-Christians?

If you want to assess a potential church planter in this area in particular - simply ask... "Tell me about a time when you intentionally build a relationship with a non-Christian?" or "Tell me when you've helped someone to become a Christian?" or "Tell me the last time you shared a meal in your home with unbelievers?" Asking questions that focus on past behaviors is critical to evaluate whether their experience is the right kind of experience to be successful in planting a church.

Of course, you could ask questions and evaluate behaviors related to the way they make disciples, raise leaders, empower for ministry, serve their community, or multiply small groups.

However - if they cannot grow a Life Group, they will not be able to grow a church!

 

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DaveDV
www.missionalchallenge.blogspot.com
www.linkedin.com/in/davedevries

Actually, I think the people involved with this discussion have a value of trying their best to "assess" the planter. A lot of really good and helpful tools have been shared that can be used in that process. One thing that was mentioned was that it can be logistically difficult to have the "face to face" time. That's part of what I think needs to change. I don't think we can squeeze much more out of the assessment process outside of a relationship with the planter, in other words, existing faith communities have to be more involved in the process. First question: where is the planter coming from? If there is not a primary planting sponsor, then something needs to be looked into. Why not?If they are part of a church that doesn't fit what we've been describing as reproducing, then they should go and become part of one... serve and establish credibility, demonstrate character and gain the blessing and support of that church. The strong relationship with a sending church is the most common missing piece I see on the field among planters that don't make it. They are all great men and women just for stepping up. Most have many of the tools we'd want in a planter, but it is still like dropping off the baby on the doorstep.

The agencies (NAMB et al) are working hard and with a good heart, it is just not enough to overcome the relational piece. We are asking them to assess and send (not officially) out the planters. We ask planters to get partners but they are, at best, investors, that don't really have any impact on the plant other then to provide $ and an occasional mission team. 

It will be a revolution in our denom to get churches to shift to become reproducing churches. This means that as pastors, we may be selecting one of the brightest and best to go out and plant. We usually like to keep them for our own team and we kind of breathe a sigh of relief when someone that doesn't quite fit in steps up and says they want to go out and plant. 

It is common for me to meet and interview potential planters that just didn't quite like the way the old man was running the show or never found a church that "fit" so he wants to start his own. This is more common than we'd like to believe. We even spiritualize it as part of God's process. While i agree that the planter should have a healthy sense of discontent with the status quo, they must show the desire to serve and have their character shaped.

So... in summary: We need planters that demonstrate a servant heart and the willingness and ability to  help grow "someone else's" (it's really God's) church. We need churches that will raise up and do most of the assessment process, with the agencies' help, AND send out with the umbilical cord attached for a while.

By the way, someone mentioned that they were not sure about the 4 out of 5 failure rate... Ed Stetzer uses that number... I don't have anything to dispute but I would be interested to know if the actual numbers are different. Anybody got other data? I would love it if the picture looked better than that. I don't want to throw that number out there for dramatic effect.

Good discussion guys! 

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barry odom, mosaic seattle
www.whatismosaic.com
my blog: barryodom.voxtropolois.com