CHURCH PLANTER SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS
August 26, 2001 Arlington
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 1 CHURCH PLANTER SELF-ASSESSMENT PROCESS
“Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have given, and then sink yourself into it. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.” Gal. 6:3
How can you get the most out of this process?
1. Relax and PRAY that God’s will be done. Stay in an attitude of prayer.
2. Be totally HONEST with yourself and with God.
3. Be as open as is POSSIBLE with your group and assessors. Our goal is to help you accurately view yourself so you can make good decisions.
4. LEARN from the process and apply principles to leadership selections in your church.
Why a process like this?
1. In the abundance of COUNSELORS, there is victory, Prov. 11:14.
Prov. 20:18 Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.
We are at WAR, and you are deciding if you are ready to be the point man leading a beach storming mission to knock out an enemy stronghold and establish a new community of faith.
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 2 2. We all have WEAKNESSES. The more clearly we see them the more likely we’ll be to trust God, make adjustments and recruit complimentary teammates.
3. Most planters are DRUNK a vision of unreality.
Most planter types are OVERLY confident and optimistic.
Rom. 12:3 For by the grace given me, I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.
Titus 2:6 “Young men ought to think soberly.”
Assessment is a …
MIRROR to understand yourself better. To know your personality, strengths, weaknesses and giftings.
PREFLIGHT checklist to see if you are ready to take off. (Readiness)
Personal preparation Family preparation Strategic preparation Partner preparation
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 3 WINDOW to get a perspective on where you fit in terms of church planting role, location and approach.
DOORWAY to church planting and apprenticeship positions (volunteer or paid).
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 4 Spiritual Gifts Your Conversion Brings Spiritual Gifting
Five gifts that most successful church planters tend to have
Apostle (Starter)
Leadership
Faith
Evangelism
Prophecy
NOTES: 1. You don’t have to have all of these, but several should be in your top five 2. There are many combinations of gifting that “work” in church planting 3. If you don’t have any of the five, you need to be extra sure of your call.
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 5 The Gift of Apostleship
I Cor. 12:28-29; Eph. 4:11:12; Romans 1:5; 15:20-23; Acts 13:2-3; I Cor. 3:6-10; I Cor. 9:19-23
Definition: originally it meant one SENT on a mission or with a message. It was used in secular literature as one who was sent from one kingdom to ANOTHER to EXPLORE AND SETTLE new territory.
Description: The Spiritual Gift of Apostleship is given to enable a leader to BEGIN and develop new churches or ministries.
The “office” of apostle, like the original twelve no longer exists but the “role” of apostle continues today.
Distinctives: apostles 1. Pioneer and establish new churches or ministries 2. Are culturally sensitive and able to adapt to different surroundings 3. Long to reach the lost especially those who have not heard the gospel 4. Common traits of those with this gift, like Paul Entrepreneurial Culturally alert Cause-driven Adaptable Adventurous Tenacious
5. Pitfalls Can be too demanding Going out on their own, not waiting to be sent Misuse of their authority Not see that work is finished, Titus 1:5.
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 6 CHARACTERISTICS OF PLANTERS GLEANED FROM STUDYING PAUL
"It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation. Rather, as it is written: Those who were not told about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand… But now there is no more room for me to work in these regions…" Romans 15: 20 ff
1. Planters have a passion for the LOST
2. Planters are BUILDERS
3. Planters prefer laying their own FOUNDATION for what they build.
4. Planters long to penetrate NEW territory
5. They are risk taking PIONEERS, Acts 13:1
6. Planters are PROACTIVE strategists.
After these things, Paul decided to go to Jerusalem, planning to go through the countries of Macedonia and Southern Greece and then on to Jerusalem. He said, "After I have been to Jerusalem, I must also visit Rome." Acts 19: 21
SEQUENTIAL PLANTERS TEND TO:
1. Start things that need STRAIGHTENING out.
The reason I left you in Crete was that you might straighten out what was left unfinished and appoint elders in every town, as I directed you. Titus 1:5
2. Start things that need FINISHING
3. Tend to be DIRECTIVE
4. Know when to pass the baton of LEADERSHIP
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 7 Who do we have here?
Sensing Sensing Intuitive Intuitive Thinking Feeling Feeling Thinking Introvert ISTJ ISFJ INFJ INTJ Judging
Introvert ISTP ISFP INFP INTP Perceptive
Extrovert ESTP ESFP ENFP ENTP Perceptive
ESTJ ESFJ ENFJ ENTJ Extrovert Judging
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 8 Temperament Categories and Church Planting
Types Advantages Pitfalls Corrective Action It is a people - Become so active you - Plan time to think (E) Extroverts business don’t take time to think - Confess Energy from being - Speak without thinking errors/offenses with people quickly
Well-planned - Isolated from people - Plan people time (I) Introverts - Exhausted all the time -Plan rest time alone Energy from being alone - See the vision, a - Dream without doing - Work out a strategy (N) Intuitives key for innovators plan in detail Visionary, hunches - Have good hunches
Get the job done - Engulfed in the details - Experience the (S) Sensing - Spend too much time model you want to Practical details, on unimportant details reproduce see the trees - Get an intuitive coach - Copy successful model Decision-making - Hard to make the - Touch many (F) Feeling - based on values tough, unpopular call -Tunnel w/ Leaders Decisions based on and relationships; - Get caught-up in - Get a “thinking” values and how people will react counseling coach relationships - People think you are wonderful Decision-making - Perceived as cold - Schedule time with (T) Thinking - decide based on - People feel used people Decisions based what makes sense & - Step on toes without - Logically think on logic is true knowing it about people’s - Task oriented importance - Recruit “feelers” - Flexible; change to - procrastinate too much - Do advance (P) Perceptive better idea; good in - Change too much planning and set Flexible, keep your rapid change arena deadlines options open - Good at reading - Get a “J” coach cultures - Quick decisions - Must stretch to stay - Hang around with (J) Judging - Stick to choices and flexible non-Xns a lot. Decide quickly, produce - Too critical - Get a “P” coach and stick with it
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 9 Your Leadership Style and Church Planting Interpreting the DiSC test from the perspective of Church Planting1
High D is “dominance” – strong willed, independent, risk-taker. They don’t like supervision or reporting. They like variety and they like to “win.”
High I is “influence” – They are expressive and talkative; encouragers. They like having feelings validated, like a fast pace for relational reasons. They are creative. They don’t like hostility from others, don’t like repetitive work.
High S is “steadiness” – Calming, team-oriented, like to meet other’s needs. Don’t like change, like orderliness. Reserved.
High C is “conscientiousness” – Quality assurance; analytical, cautious, learners. They want to be correct. Slow to accept change. Logical-systematic. Not as comfortable with personal disclosure.
Findings from a study of 66 Christian Churches/Churches of Christ over 6 years:
Numbers are attendance at that time mark when the planter exhibited the indicated characteristic:
High D: 72 (1 year) 181 (5.2 years)
High I: 98_(1 year) 174 (3.6 years)
High S: 38 (1 year) _77 (6.3 years)
High C: 39 (1 year) _71 (4.3 years)
1 This based on Planting Growing Churches, Aubrey Malphurs, page 103.
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 10 REFLECT ON WHERE YOU FIT IN AN ORGANIZATION’S LIFE-CYCLE
STARTERS ORGANIZERS MAINTAINERS
Nothing to chaos Chaos to organization & Keep an organization going Growth long term, possibly grow it
+ Self-starter +Loves to organize a mess +Loves to maintain and make + Many ideas +Can see and develop systems things more effective + Can envision future to accomplish results +Grow things smoothly + Able to gather +Good problem solvers +Patient with problems resources and support
- Hard time finishing -Fail to maintain what they -May mishandle crises organize -Can’t shift paradigms quickly, - Become restless once -Tinker with organization so sudden culture shifts may something is started and disrupt the system lose them - Independent -Restless once it is - Often don’t appreciate starters organized
Abstract Concrete Thinkers Thinkers
Strategic Administrative
Developmental Operational
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 11 SIX ESSENTIAL ROLES OF A CHURCH PLANTER
Church planters need to find ways to do six roles in order to successfully start a healthy church. Various forms or methods can be used to fulfill these basic roles or functions. Methods will vary based on the uniqueness of the planter and the cultural situation, but the functions are biblical and will remain constant.
The RolesPurpo sofe Da rChurchiven Ch uPlanterrch Planter
1. Entrepreneurial
5. Teacher
6. Equipper 2. Preacher 4. Shepherd
3. Evangelist
Leader
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 12 1. Entrepreneurial Leader
DEVELOPS vision/strategy
FINDS resources
Develops functional SYSTEMS, processes
Develops and deploys LEADERS
LEADS workers, leaders and managers SERVES
MODELS the way
LISTENS and learns CHALLENGES the process
Inspires a SHARED vision
ENABLES others to act
ENCOURAGES the heart
2. Worshipper/Preacher
Personal DEDICATION
HEARING from God
PRAYER
Moving people towards COMMITMENT through communicating God’s Word
3. Winner (Fisher of Men)
RELATES well with unsaved people
Builds TRUST with unsaved people
UNDERSTANDS unsaved people
MEETS NEEDS of unsaved people
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 13 LEADS unsaved people to Christ
4. Shepherd
UNITES people together
CARES for people
PROTECTS people
NURTURES people
5. Teacher
MODELS obedience to God’s Word
DESIGNS systematic instruction
TEACHES for life change
6. Equipper
RECRUITS workers
PREPARES workers for ministry
DEPLOYS workers into ministry
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 14 Categories of Church Planting Approaches
Sequential Founding Plant one church after another Plant one church and stay
Reptilian Mammalian Plant many churches, but without much care Sponsor gives careful oversight and or support encouragement: planning, training, funding, coaching, partnership
Innovative Franchise Study many models then design and Find a model that has proven effective implement your own. Best done in a second and do an exact implementation of that plant model
Planter’s initiative Group initiative (mission pastor) Planter initiates a project based on research A core group forms and asks a pastor by him or sponsor to lead them in starting a new church
Solo or small team Large core (Hive, Split)
Contemporary Traditional Willing to adapt organization and forms to Committed to preserving the historic gain a hearing from the unchurched. organization and form
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 15 Varieties Of Church Planting Movement Strategies
1. FLAGSHIP model that sponsor planters and helps other LEARN from it. Conferences, and writing).
2. Flagship model, plus PASTORS factory, plus sponsor local plants. Hope Chapel Hermosa Beach, then Hope Chapel Kaneohe, Oahu - Ralph Moore
3. TRAINING and sending base church.
4. Sequential church planting with APPRENTICES.
5. Training of NATIONAL leaders in cross-cultural church planting principles as they seek to plant churches.
6. DENOMINATION and association church planting strategies.
7. National and international church planting SERVICE organizations (Independent or church based).
OTHER WAYS TO HELP WITH CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENTS
1. Be a church planter STRATEGIST/ CATALYST
2. Become a church planting TEAMMATE
3. Become a part of a S.W.A.T. team (Saints, Willing And Temporary) – people from a sponsoring church who commit to help a new church for a limited period of time.
4. TAKE OVER a newly planted church
5. PASTOR a church that plants churches
6. CONTRIBUTE MONEY to church planting objectives
7. Help develop a church planting equipping ministry (Assessments, Coaching, Training, Support Systems.)
8. Promote church planting
2001 John Worcester, Church Planting Leadership 16