This week there was an assessment done on a potential church planter at our offices; next month will be the same. Each time we start this process, we seek to determine, as best we can, whether or not he will be effective and successful if he pursues this endeavor. I say “endeavor” because some are very passionate about it being a calling, while others appear to see it only an an option. This is a huge difference, and typically a “make or break” difference in whether or not we will be partnering with them in their effort.
Beyond this there was a landmark study done about 15 years ago that posits the belief, based of research across North America, that successful church planters share certain behavioral characteristics in common. Dr. Charles Ridley, a Christian and professor of Behavioral Psychology at Indiana University, boiled it down to thirteen definitive behavioral characteristics. They are:
- Visionizing Capacity. Ability to receive, follow, share and implement the vision of God for the new church.
- Intrinsic Motivation. A self-starter, who is motivated to focused action.
- Creates Group Ownership. Has the ability to get others to buy in to the vision, their leadership and the new church.
- Passion for the Unchurched. Spends time with and reaches the lost and unchurched with the Gospel.
- Spousal Cooperation. Both spouses are “on the same page” about planting a church and within their marriage, in general.
- Effectively Builds Relationships. A people person, who has relational skills and values others.
- Committed to Church Growth. Maybe better, Kingdom growth, suggesting he doesn’t give in to comfort and apathy when there are others to reach with the Gospel.
- Responsive to the Community. Builds bridges to the community, in order to engage it, rather than withdraws or ignores the community where the church is started.
- Utilizes the Giftedness of Others. Recognizes his calling requires him to equip the saints AND that the work can’t be done if he alone seeks to do it, he helps others find their calling and giftedness and plugs them in accordingly.
- Flexible and Adaptable. Willing and able to change when circumstances require it, for the sake of the Gospel and the church.
- Builds Group Cohesiveness. “Glues” the group to each other, taking individuals and facilitating their development as a family.
- Resilient. Never quit attitude, determined and persevering.
- Extraordinary Faith. Believes, expects and sees God do the miraculous and the “impossible.”
In addition, the effective planter has to be a correct match to the context (Does he fit in with the people and/or place to whom he seeks to minister?) and the strategy (Is it congruent with whom he is and the people/place where he is?)
This week, the church where I’ve been ministering as Interim Pastor for the past year will have a prospective pastor in town “in view of a call.” In other words, everyone will be seeking to determine whether it is God’s will that they serve together for the years ahead. While I’ll be praying for them all to have clear minds and pure hearts in discerning God’s will on this matter, I’ve wondered–and here’s the point of this blog–what differences might be found in the characteristically effective/successful pastor as opposed to the prototypical planter mentioned above.
In a second blog later today, I’ll suggest two possible answers to this question. In the meantime, I”m interested in your opinion. What do you think?
I think the context and strategy ‘fit’ become more important. The church should already have a mission, vision, history, etc. and it’s almost like the incoming pastor has to match up with that in a sense. The other 13 categories unfortunately take somewhat of a back seat. They still have to be there, but not in the way they do for one that starts out in a plant. Some of those 13 may already be built into the existing church. A planter would not normally have any of those at his disposal.