Three Elements of a Successful Leadership Community

If you want to gather a group of leaders together, what are the elements that will create synergy and accomplishment? The folks at Converge have discovered that groups of leaders that gather around relationships, prayer/study, and mission tend to stay together longer and produce more results than groups of leaders that gather around only one of those elements. Think of them as three circles. Each circle by itself tends toward entropy (slumping attendance, confused direction, etc.). But when the three circles overlap there tends to be low entropy, high synergy and high results in shared mission.

What would that insight mean for a Vestry, staff, short-term mission team or Clericus?

Surprising fact: any personality can plant a church

Folks at the Orchard Group did a study to see if there was a correlation between church planting and personality profiles (using the DiSC assessment). What they found was that organizations tend to gravitate towards certain personalities (dominant and influencing) in placing planters. But they also found that any personality type can plant a church; albeit different types tend to plant different kinds of churches. The highly entrepreneurial planter tends to plant larger program-driven churches. Other personality profiles plant smaller, more intimate, relationally-driven churches.

So, anyone can plant. We will just all use different seeds.

Key Factors for Success in Church Planting

From Exponential 2012 - Key Factors in Successful Planting for the Experience of Converge

1. Assessment: by adding thorough assessment of potential planters Converge brought its success rate (i.e. the church still exists in 5 years and has attained self-sufficiency or is moving towards it) to 65%. There are many groups that are doing assessment. And since the basics of planting are the same regardless of denominational and geographical differences, this is something that can be "farmed out."

2. Coaching brought the success rate to 75%. While many groups do coaching, this is better done within the ethos and values of one's own organization. Therefore, raising up of coaches and developing a coaching ethos is crucial.

3. Introducing risk assessment and management brought the rate to 85%. Here are the eight risk factors that need to be taken into account when considering when and where a person/team should plant.

Four "strong" factors.
1. Funding. Lack of a clear funding strategy and/or lack of funds tend to create anxiety that leads to failed plants.
2. Cultural fit. The greater the cultural divide between the planter/team and the people the plant is intending to reach the greater the stress.
3. Number of ministry partners. Planting with a team is easier than showing up alone.
4. Number of pre-existing contacts. Planting among people you already know is easier than trying to build relationships with strangers.

Four "moderate" factors.
1. Proximity of family and friends. Converge has found that people who are close to family support are more likely to thrive in a planting setting.
2. Proximity of geographical roots. This is connected to cultural fit and pre-existing contacts. Planters who plant closer to "home" (however that is defined by the planters) are more likely to succeed.
3. Proximity of helpful churches. Plants connected to supporting churches tend to do better than ones that are isolated. "Mother," "sister," or "partner" churches can provide a variety of resources; prayer, money, members of a launch team, administrative help and personal encouragement, for example.
4. Prior ministry success. Planters who have no need to prove their competency as pastors tend to have lower stress levels.

These risk factors are helpful in recruitment, assessment, and placement since the goal is always to get the right person in the right place at the right time.