Assessment
IS CHURCH PLANTING FOR ME?
Do you think the Lord may be leading you to become a church planter?
If so take the self assessment test as
a preliminary step. If the results give a high rating then return
to this page to pursue the next steps in the process. The self
assessment can be found here.
Become Educated about Church Planting
Gaining more knowledge about church planting will help you further discern whether or not church planting is for you.
A. Gain Knowledge through Reading.
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Big Dreams in Small Places: Church Planting in Smaller Communities by Tom Nebel (St. Charles, IL: ChurchSmart, 2002).
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Planting Growing Church for the 21 st Century: A Comprehensive Guide for New Churches and Those Desiring Renewal by Aubrey Malphurs (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1998).
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Starting a New Church: The Church Planter's Guide to Success by Ralph Moore (Ventura, CA: Regal, 2002).
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Church Planting: Laying Foundations by Stuart Murray (Scottdale, PA: Herald Press, 2001).
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Planting New Churches in a Postmodern Age by Ed Stetzer (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman, 2003).
B. Gain Knowledge through Experience.
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Volunteer some of your time to help with a mission congregation near you.
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Become a prayer partner with a church planter.
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Do a student internship. Outreach North America has full- and part-time student internships that provide some financial support for interns who have skills that can help a church planter immediately. The goal is to help the church planter and to create a heart for church planting in the intern.
C. Gain Knowledge through Taking a Course.
Contact Outreach North America about
any one week (or less) courses of study that are available.
Pray
Church planting is a supernatural activity. Church planting is one means
through which God's invisible kingdom becomes more and more visible in
this world. Prayer is essential in assessing your call to this kind of
ministry. Pray for God's leading, and ask others to join you in this
prayer.
Seek the Counsel of Others
If you are considering church planting, then begin discussions as soon
as possible with the church extension chairman of your presbytery. If
you are not currently in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church,
then contact the office of Outreach North America. Send
me information .
If you are married, then you will definitely want to seek the counsel of your wife. Seek out some other people whose evaluation you trust and discuss with them your thoughts about church planting.
Church Planting Assessment Center (CPAC)
This is a special case of seeking the counsel of others. Outreach North America holds one or two CPACs each year in conjunction with the Evangelical Presbyterian Church. The CPAC is a four-day event where a team of assessors with experience in church planting will observe you as you go through a series of church planting exercises. The assessors will be evaluating you concerning some of the specific competencies that are needed in church planting. At the end of the CPAC event you will get feedback through an interview and a follow-up letter.
Church planters for missions receiving funding from Outreach North America must either be approved by a CPAC, or they must be experienced church planters with demonstrated church planting competencies.
Candidates for CPAC must be prescreened and recommended by one of our ten presbyteries . They may then request a CPAC application from the office of Outreach North America, and if approved, they will be scheduled to attend.
Church Planter Internship
Most of the candidates approved by the CPAC will be either
required or requested to do a one year church
planter internship to further develop their church planting
competencies. Interns will be placed on the staff of a potential
mother church where the pastor commits to mentor the potential
planter in some specific areas.
Outreach North
America Web site: |
EPC National Outreach
Agency |