By Brian Blackwell, Baptist Message staff writer
BATON ROUGE, La. (LBM) – A center to assess potential Louisiana Baptist church planters was launched recently in the facilities of Istrouma Baptist Church, Baton Rouge, by Send Network Louisiana leaders.
“This is a big piece to the puzzle for Send Network Louisiana,” Send Network Louisiana Director Lane Corley told the Baptist Message. “To this point, we’ve had to send candidates to other states to finalize their assessments, which can be costly. Now, we’ll have an assessment center right here in Louisiana to launch from, and with an incredible group of Louisiana assessors who’ve planted and pastored churches in our unique context.”
Corley expressed his appreciation for the Istrouma congregation’s assistance. The church’s minister of missions, Jay Spivey, will serve as the assessment director.
“I’m deeply appreciative of Pastor Tim Keith and the staff at Istrouma, who have extended their warm hospitality to Send Network Louisiana and have integrated this process into their future strategy,” Corley said.
During the first Send Network Louisiana assessment retreat at IBC, Sept. 4-5, five candidates were assessed, and 16 assessors were trained. This served as the official launch of the assessment center, which will host two assessments retreats each year, with the goal of assessing 12 potential candidates during each retreat.
Corley explained that Send Network Louisiana leaders will walk potential planters and their wives through a process of affirming their call to start a church that includes an application that examines their fit for the New Testament role of pastor and their theological fit as a Southern Baptist pastor, utilizing the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 as a standard.
The assessment also examines their unique gifts and calling specifically for the role of church planting, utilizing the Send Network planter profile as a framework:
— walks closely with God;
— cultivates healthy relationships;
— confident in the calling;
— theologically grounded and Gospel-centered;
— embraces evangelism and disciple-making;
— teaches the Word effectively;
— loves the Church;
— prioritizes global engagement; and
— possesses the practical leadership skills to plant a church
After completing a “Prepare and Enrich Marriage” assessment to explore the marital health of the church planter and his wife, they then will attend the assessment retreat with 11 other planters and wives to affirm their calling and readiness to start a church within the next 18 months.
The assessment can end with one of three recommendations:
— ready for endorsement (planter is ready to plant and can apply for Send Network and state convention resources)
— needs development (the prospective planter is given a development plan to complete for six months to one year); or
— redirect (another role in ministry would be best for the couple).
Read more: SendNetwork.com/Assessment.
Personal contacts:
— James Jenkins, LBC missions and ministry team director, jjenkins@sendnetwork.com
— Jacob Crawford, Send Network Louisiana church planting catalyst, jcrawford@sendnetwork.com
— Tracy Graham, Send Network Louisiana church planting catalyst, tgraham@sendnetwork.com.
— Carlos Schmidt, Send Network Louisiana church planting catalyst, cschmidt@sendnetwork.com
— Lane Corley, Send Network Louisiana director, lcorley@namb.net
— Ryan Rice, Send New Orleans, rrice@namb.net
