Planter Assessment – Kairos Discovery Lab

Five couples from four different states completed the Kairos Discovery Lab planter assessment last week in Camp Yamhill, Oregon. These couples have been preparing for lab for an average of two months. Why is assessment important and what did these couples receive?

Why Assessment?

Stan & Jim at Multnomah Falls, August 2012

Jim Holway is a good friend and an international church planter coach. Jim and his wife Kathryn have planted multiple churches in South and North America. Jim and Kathryn passed through Portland last week when Discovery Lab had just ended. Over lunch at Multnomah Falls, as we were talking about coaching and the rigors of new church work Jim made the classic statement, “Planting a church was the hardest work we ever did.”

That about sums it up. Take a look at this video by Mark Driscoll, Mars Hill Church lead pastor, on planter assessment. He's tough--and I don't go with "predestined from the foundations of the world." But Driscoll hits the nail on the head when he talks about the essential nature of a church planter: he's a leader!

If you're thinking about possibly planting here's your top 5 list:

1.  Are you a leader? This means you don't just lead people--you lead leaders. In fact, you lead teams of leaders.

2. Do you reach lost people? Introducing people today to Jesus is a hardcore art form. It's hardcore because the barriers are high and tight. It's an art form because it takes finesse and care. If you're not helping people know Jesus, don't think you're a planter

3.  Do you gather people together--lots of them? Next to sharing faith, gathering people is the most important skill a planter needs to do. This means gathering people to parties, to events, to work, and ultimately to mission.

4.  Are you an insurance salesman? That may make you ill. I'm not making this up, it comes from pages 31-32 of Steve Sjogren and Rob Lewin's book Community of Kindness. Here's what Steve says, if you're in sales "You wake up unemployed every day. Nothing happens until someone buys something from you each day. You're only successful if you're a self-starter."

5.  Finally, are you a visionizer? This means do you see what needs to happen and can you make the need and the way to achieve it so real that others commit to making it happen with you?

These are tough criteria, so tough that Gary L. McIntosh suggests only 3% of leaders have these catalytic criteria. The only ministry job that is tougher is renewing a dying a church!

What do you receive from assessment?

-  Insight - into your life, your capabilities, and your call. 

-  Confidence - that others have looked deep into your life and confirmed your call. 

-  Direction - frankly, most people right now are not yet ready to take on the lead planter role. But give them a few years of directed, intentional opportunity to develop their skills and they will be. At assessment we'll provide you specific direction on how to develop your skill set. 

Kairos gives each couple or person a comprehensive report that covers everything they have shared through their self-assessment, Church Planter Profile assessment, Myers-Briggs, DiSC, Enrich, and four days of Discovery Lab. Your report is fifteen pages of insight into your life, bathed in prayer, and given in confidence.

Our next Discovery Lab will be in March 2013. If you're thinking about planting, contact Kairos.