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Best Practices in Church Planter Assessment John Shepherd

Best Practices in Church Planter Assessment John Shepherd. Church Planting in US Today. More churches are being planted each year(approx. 4000 ) than are being closed (approx. 3500). Big increase over approx. 1500 /yr reported a decade ago. Stetzer and Bird, Viral Churches , 1.

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Best Practices in Church Planter Assessment John Shepherd

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  1. Best Practices in Church Planter Assessment John Shepherd

  2. Church Planting in US Today • More churches are being planted each year(approx. 4000) than are being closed (approx. 3500). • Big increase over approx. 1500/yr reported a decade ago. Stetzer and Bird, Viral Churches, 1. Stetzer and Travis, Church Planting Overview: State of Church Planting in the USA , 3.

  3. Why Such a Big Deal? • Making progress • Adding new churches

  4. Baptisms Per Member • Under 3 yrs: 10 baptisms/100 mbrs • 3-15 yrs: 5 baptisms/100 mbrs • Older than 15 yrs: 3 baptisms/100 mbrs Viral Churches, 26.

  5. “Church planting has become the ‘it’ thing right now and the new evangelism.” Viral Churches, 1.

  6. Challenges to Church Planting Today • Attracting more people who want to plant • Tough economy

  7. Barna Study on GivingJan 2010 • 48% of Americans had reduced giving to nonprofits in last 3 mos. • 30% had dropped their level of giving to church. • Nearly 25% of church donors had cut giving by 20% or more. • 75% of Americans believe economic recovery is 2 or more yrs away.

  8. Some Good News on Giving • According to a survey conducted in Jan. 2011, for the first time in four years Americans say they are likely to increase their charitable giving in 2011. • Number of households who plan to increase giving this year rose 29%. Dunham+Company New Year’s Philanthropy Survey

  9. Assessments are more important than ever before!

  10. 12 CP Organizations in Study • Acts 29 Alliance NW • Bapt. Missionary Assoc. • Church of Nazarene EFCA • Forest Lakes District (EFCA) • Foursquare General Bapt. • Illinois Bapt. Assoc. NAMB • PCA • Vision Ministries Canada

  11. Overview of Current Patterns of CP Assessments • Patterns in What We Are Assessing? • Patterns in How We Are Assessing?

  12. What We Are Assessing All 12 organizations are assessing: • Planter’s Call—Why? • Planter’s Character—Who? • Planter’s Competencies—What? • Planter’s Context—Where?

  13. How We Are Assessing Primary Methods of Indirect Observation: • Behavioral Interview • Assessment Center • Self-Assessment

  14. Behavioral Interview Background: • Based on research by Charles Ridley, 1984 • Ch. Planter Performance Profile-13 Qualities of Effective Planters • 3 Limitations of CPPP

  15. 4 Phases of Ridley’s Process • Pre-screen applicants • Interview • Evaluate interview data • Write report

  16. Principles behind Behavioral Interviewing • Past behavior is best predictor of future behavior. • Behavior performance is more important than work experience. • Focus on a group of behaviors, not just single behavior. • Reliance on indirect observation of behavior.

  17. Strengths • Inexpensive • Easily reproducible • Adaptable to local context • Focuses on past behavior • Increases candidate’s self-awareness

  18. Weaknesses • Ridley did not define “effective church planter” • Puts “all eggs in one basket” • Highly dependent on quality of assessors • CPPP was developed in 1984 • Is CPPP applicable to all planters, regardless of gender, race, education, CP model, etc.?

  19. Why spend so much time talking about Charles Ridley? 75% of organizations in this study use his behavioral profile either as is or in a modified version! 100% of organizations in this study use behavioral interviewing!

  20. Assessment Center • History: • WWII: First used by military in the US. • 1954: AT&T first American business to use AC. • 1983: Thomas Graham (COMD) first used AC in selecting church planters.

  21. Elements of Assessment Centers • ACs have multiple: • Candidates • Assessors • Exercises, simulations, tests • Criteria or competencies • Days (typically 3-4)

  22. Strengths • Multiple means of assessment • Multiple assessors • Ability to use AC as developmental process for church planter • Situational exercises may give realistic preview of job to candidate

  23. Weaknesses • Expensive • High levels of skill, time & energy needed by assessors • Hard for lay & bivocational planters to participate

  24. 5 of 12 organizations (42%) in this study use ACs in their CP selection process.

  25. Self-Assessment • Created by Jim Griffith of Griffith Coaching Network in 1996. • He’s assessed over 1900 CP candidates, trained 7000 planters, worked with over 30 organizations.

  26. Elements of Self-Assessment • Pre-screening/Application • Assessment Instruments DiSC, Team Profile, Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode, CP Assess. Workbook • Debrief Interview (75 min, 15 Core Competencies)

  27. Strengths • Inexpensive • Candidate is vital partner in decision-making process • Encourages candidates to make conclusions first and then collaborate with supervisor • Time-saver for CP leaders • Easily adaptable for different CP contexts • Interview is shorter & feels less adversarial than Ridley’s

  28. Weaknesses • Designed for well educated candidates-- How will it impact lay & bivo planters? • Less emphasis on behavioral interviews

  29. 100% of the organizations in this study have incorporated elements of Self-Assessment into their process.

  30. Direct Observation • Best method—Observe faithfulness & fruitfulness over time • Fastest growing method • Used primarily by local churches: • Multi-site • Church plants • Organic

  31. Top 5 CP Realities • Church planting is hard! • The two ongoing emotions church planters feel are disappointment & discouragement. • The key to a healthy church plant is a healthy church planter. • Too many hurting planters are reaching hurting people. • Church planting is primarily a spiritual endeavor.

  32. What We Are Assessing • Planter’s Call—Why? • Planter’s Character—Who? • Planter’s Competencies—What? • Planter’s Context—Where? • Planter’s Capacity—How Much?

  33. Capacity—How Much? • Capacity is “the ability to perform or endure under stress for a period of time.” • Focus on the emotional, relational & spiritual health of a planter. • It is our responsibility to help planters start and stay healthy.

  34. Capacity Resources Assessment: • Emotional—EQ-i, Professional Counselor • Relational—Prepare-Enrich • Spiritual—Interview & Written Description of Call, Prayer Life Ongoing: Coaching!

  35. Top 5 Things @ Capacity • Help planters start healthy by assessing their capacity. • Help them stay healthy thru coaching. • Give permission to take a day off and vacations. • Encourage the hearts of planters/spouses. • Provide “annual check-up” with a counselor.

  36. Questions • Describe your assessment process. What is working well? What can be improved? • How are you assessing the capacity of your planters? • Emotional—Past • Relational—Family & friends • Spiritual—Power & presence of God

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