Church Planter Assessment

Individuals who are considering a calling into church planting can be helped through the church planter assessment process. The process is a journey of three parts:

• Self-assessment
• Behavioral interview
• Customized development plan

The self-assessment can use the Discovery Tools workbook to help the potential church planter clarify his calling from God, gifting from God, and relevant experiences. When a potential church planter is married, it is helpful for the spouse to also walk through this discovery voyage. 

A behavioral interview is conducted by state convention/North American Mission Board certified assessors. This specialized interview is based on 14 categories from research on effective church planting. The categories are: Visioning Capacity, Intrinsically Motivated, Relates to Lost People (evangelism), Creates Ownership, Spousal Cooperation, Effectively Builds Relationships, Committed to Kingdom Growth, Responsive to Community, Utilizes Giftedness of Others, Flexible and Adaptable, Builds Group Cohesiveness, Resilience, Exercises Faith, and Cross-Cultural Adaptability. You may contact state convention church planting leaders to schedule this type of interview.

The insight gained from the Discovery Tools and the feedback from a behavioral interview serve as a guide for the third part to use in developing a customized plan to enhance the experiences and understanding of a potential church planter. A church planter's mentor can help construct a practical plan with the church planter.

For more information on the church planter assessment process, contact the state convention (link to list of state conventions for Southern Baptists) or David Terry, North American Mission Board, Church Planting Group, dterry@namb.net.