The Discernment Phase
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Hearing God
No one should plant a church unless they have a clear sense of call from God. Equally, everyone who is called by God to plant a church should do exactly that!
That’s why this discernment phase is so important.
It’s about being open in your posture towards God and others. It’s about inviting the wisdom and prophetic insight of others into your life and trusting God’s perfect timing. It’s about hearing God in community and not being a “lone ranger”.
In our experience, many people dismiss the idea of planting a church because they don’t see in themselves what other people can easily see. However it’s also true to say that some people sincerely believe that God is calling them to church planting and they are sincerely wrong! That’s why we have designed the Get Clear phase to help people discern what God is actually saying.
It has a number of steps, each of which can take days, weeks, months or years depending on the proactivity of the people involved and also God’s timing.
What are we looking for?
Church planters come in all shapes and sizes, and every story is unique. However we have learned over the years that there are some characteristics that are common to all church planters who achieve a measure of fruitfulness in their call. For this reason, the Get Clear phase specifically looks for a track-record of these things:
A compelling vision and a clear calling
Is it obvious to people who know you well that God has called you to plant a church, and do you have a vision in your heart of what that church will look like?
A rich and deep spiritual and emotional capacity
Do you have a contagious love for Jesus, and a high level of emotional maturity and stability that is present in all the ups and downs of life?
An ability to communicate clearly in personal and public spaces
Do people around you experience someone who is warm, compassionate and kind, and are they able to understand clearly what you’re trying to say?
A dynamic leadership gift which results in fruitfulness and multiplication
Do you have a track-record of fruitful leadership in a variety of spaces? For example, have small groups that you’ve led grown and multiplied?
An ability to gather people and lead them on mission
Do people follow you and want to be around you? Do you have a track-record of leading people to Jesus?
Many of these characteristics and experiences are honed and developed during the Vineyard Ministry Pathway and so we would encourage you to engage with that as soon as you can.
7 Steps to Get Clear
1. Early Discernment Questionnaire
Invest some time to read and pray through our Early Discernment Questionnaire. These questions are designed to distil and refine your sense of call, and provide some direction – is it church planting or some other ministry opportunity that God is asking you to fulfil? You can find the questionnaire here [add link].
2. Senior Pastor Recommendation
Only church planters who have the support of their Senior Pastors will plant Vineyard churches. So having completed the questionnaire, arrange a time to discuss your responses with them and seek their wisdom on whether you are ready to formally apply, or whether a season of investing in your leadership development and/or seeking the Lord for more clarity of calling might be needed. The Senior Pastor Recommendation Form is here [link].
3. Application Form
When you and your Senior Pastor are on the same page, both agreeing that the time is right, it’s time to fill in a Church Planting Application form, which you can find here [link].
4. Criminal Record Check
Becoming a church planting pastor is to carry a significant level of legal and safeguarding responsibilities.
5. Personal Resilience Profile
We consider the wellbeing and emotional capacity of our church planters as of the utmost importance. This is why, having received both your application and your senior pastor’s commendation, we will put you in contact with our expert partner, who will assess your personal and emotional resilience using online tools and video interviews. The cost of this process is £330 per person, the cost of which will be shared between you, your church and the movement, one third each.
6. Detailed Discernment Questionnaire
This is a far more thorough and in-depth investigation into your suitability for church planting and leadership as well as your calling from the Lord. For this reason there are lots of questions and you should take your time to answer honestly and carefully. The link to the questionnaire is [here]. Once you begin, you will be able to save at any point and pick up where you left off.
7. Discernment Interview
Finally, we will arrange a Discernment Day between you and two representatives of the Multiply Team in your region. They will use the time to get to know you, and understand your journey of calling, and readiness for pioneering church leadership, and will then write a report with a clear set of recommendations for next steps which may include further training requirements.
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