The Evangel Dean Basic Training Resource Handbook

66 • T HE E VANGEL D EAN B ASIC T RAINING R ESOURCE H ANDBOOK

B. Recent practical research on church planter assessments

1. Thomas Graham was one of the first in North America to Develop a Formal Assessment Center for Church Planters (1983). 1 2. How to Select Church Planters (1988) became a foundational assessment resource used in North America (by Charles Ridley). It identified thirteen characteristics of “successful” church planters.

The Ridley Categories ( Focus on Reproduction , Capstone Module 12, p. 30-31)

1 Visionizing Capacity is the ability to imagine the future, to persuade other persons to become involved in that dream, and to bring the vision into reality. 2 Intrinsically Motivated means that one approaches ministry as a self-starter, and commits to excellence through hard work and determination. 3 Creates Ownership of Ministry suggests that one instills in others a sense of personal responsibility for the growth and success of the ministry and trains leaders to reproduce other leaders. 4 One Who Relates to the Unchurched develops rapport and breaks through barriers with unchurched people, encouraging them to examine and to commit themselves to a personal walk with God. As an additional outcome, new believers become able to lead others to salvation in Jesus Christ. 5 Spousal Cooperation describes a marital partnership by which church planting couples agree on ministry priorities, each partner’s role and involvement, and the integration and balance of ministry with family life. 6 Effectively Builds Relationships is the skill to take initiative in meeting people and deepen relationships as a basis for more effective ministry.

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1 Ed Stetzer and Warren Bird, “The State of Church Planting in the United States: Research Overview and Qualitative Study of Primary Church Planting Entities” (The Leadership Network, 2007), 12, www.christianitytoday.com/assets /10228.pdf .