Our Church-Planting Systems
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In order to support our church-planters and church-plants, we follow a system we call ACTS.

A = Assessmentin order to help a prospective church-planter determine if they should plant and where, we use a system of assessment that includes the following steps:

       
Resume collection – tell what you have done in resume form
       
Online Pre-assessment at www.efca.org/planting
       
Personality profile - If you have done a recent (within 2 years) personality profile like DISC or Myers-Briggs, send us the results OR go to www.efca.org/planting where you can take one for a Modest fee.  After you have completed this, send us the results.
        Spiritual Gifts analysis – if you know your gift-mix, send us those results.  If you are not sure, you can take an analysis at the efca website.
        Ministry Philosophy send us a paragraph or two about your philosophy of ministry as relates to church-planting, evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development.
        Director’s Interview once or as the above information is being compiled, the Director of Church-Planting or another member of the Church-Planting team will  interview the potential candidate to develop a relationship and begin getting a read on fit.
        Assessment Interview once the above steps are taken, a team of 2 or 3 assessors will conduct a 3 to 4 hour assessment interview with the planter and his wife.   This  Interview will ask behavioral questions about what the planter has done.  Out of  this interview a score is generated and recommendations given concerning the planter.  The interview considers the following factors:
    
Character
        Spousal Support & Strong Marriage
        Right Chemistry                                                        
        Communication Ability                                                                    
        Visionary Leaderships Skills
        Starting/Gathering Skills
        Team Buildings Skills
        Multiplication Skills
        Evangelism Skills    
        Disciplemaking Skills
        Church-Planting Knowledge
        Sense of God’s Call
        Equipping Skills
        Emotional Intelligence


C = Coachingwe provide each planter with a coach (usually an approved pastor) to walk with them over the course of 2 years.  In January, we will unleash the use of a 100 time-line based check-list to help both the planter and the coach stay on track, on target and on time.  We also implement Cluster Coaching with Planters and Pastors.

T = Traininga key step in our system is the implementation of Church-Planters Bootcamp Training.  This is a five day event geared to help the planter, and possibly even his team, think through all the steps involved from conception of the dream right on to development into Full-Church-Status.  As a part of Bootcamp Training, you will develop a Church-Planting MAP (Ministry Action Plan).   Additionally we offer a whole host of other training events to assist the church-plant in fulfilling God’s mission.

S = SupportWe offer support for our church-planters through existing church partnerships and adoptions.  Existing EFCA Churches will offer what assistance they can in support of our plants.  We offer Fund-Raising Training.  We offer the support of planters/pastors retreats.  We offer the support of a Revolving Matching Fund up to $40,000 over two years to approved planters who continue to reach bench-marks and who remain pliable in a coaching relationship.