The discernment process is designed to help you as a sending pastor become familiar with the strengths and weaknesses of the potential planter you’re working with. Each part of the process takes a look at different skill and character areas and provides resources as well as another set of eyes to help recognize where the church planter needs more training and development.
As a part of our process, the potential planter takes a series of online assessments and begins working with their overseeing pastor to develop a path for growth. These assessments look at risk factors, spiritual gifts, spiritual formation, and overall church planting skill-set development. The results from these assessments are great material for a leadership and coaching conversations.
The video below is a discussion of the entire process.
Church Planter Psychological Assessment
Planters complete a full psychological assessment to help determine their readiness for church planting and highlight any pitfalls that might eventually cause ministry burn-out. This assessment will aid in identifying areas for development/preparation, and thus increase likelihood of personal and ministry goals being realized. Themes emphasized are those vital to ministry such as fiscal integrity, self-awareness, decision-making, leadership competencies, tolerance, approachability, conflict management, and risk-taking. This video highlights the benefits and uses for this psychological assessment, as well as provides senior pastors with some knowledge on interpreting the results of the assessment.
