The Evangel Dean Basic Training Resource Handbook

S EMINARS • 71

III. Assessment and the Urban Poor: A Narrow Way Between Two Cliffs

A. Asking David to wear Saul’s armor

1. 1 Samuel 17.38−40

2. Expecting too much or adding unnecessary burdens

B. Missing the Holy Spirit’s gifts and callings at work

1. Acts 4.13

2. Expecting too little from the “uneducated, common people” and patronizing them.

IV. Assumptions about Assessing Church Planters from and for the Urban Poor

A. God is the one who will raise up the workers for his harvest fields.

1. The Father raises up the workers (Matt. 9.38).

2. The story of Gideon’s 300 warriors

B. Church plant assessors must be biblically normed, theologically formed, and culturally shorn.

1. Biblically normed: submissive to the authoritative tradition

2. Theologically formed: attentive to the Great Tradition

3. Culturally shorn: carefully avoidant of hegemony and respectful of the church planter’s target culture

C. “In Context” assessment provides an invaluable resource to church plant field coaches and sending agencies.

1. Local church endorsement is a prerequisite to the process.

2. Local and regional emphasis help field coaches and deans take advantage of site visits and “ministry projects.”