1 QUOTE

“Most NFL teams scout quarterbacks looking for someone right out of central casting. But the NFL is not a movie. What they need to look for are the rare qualities of processing speed and accuracy."

- Matt Waldman, The Rookie Scouting Portfolio

1 NOTE

Last week we discussed the amazing correlation rate of why NFL quarterback busts and church plants are so high. 58% of first round NFL quarterbacks are never signed to a second contract with the same team. These players usually become career backups. Only 4/10 new church plants make it to their year 4 anniversary. I believe the issues are the same: selection and development.

For five years I served as the director of church planting for our denomination. I lead a team of regional church planting directors (scouts). I was in charge of our assessment centers (combine). Our three-day conferences were super intense and every called them ‘asstressment centers.’ After group discussions, I had the final word and signed the check for the church planters (draft).

My first order of business was creating a common selection criteria. I learned this the hard way when on our regional directors invited a candidate who had the following come up on his background check and self-reveal: (1) As a teen he was involved in gang activity and murdered someone; (2) He was fired from a youth ministry job for alcohol and meth; (3) His wife knew about his porn addiction; (4) His wife did not know about his gambling addiction. When I shared with Becky and this candidate’s background her reply was, “This is one guy?” I immediately called the director and told him him ‘his guy’ was not invited. This was my introduction to plateauing leaders (one of the six barriers to finishing well) and recruiting without criteria.

Holy Faith Fellowship is our home church plant in Compton. We use this selection criteria for local church leadership. I employ a more detailed and dveloped gifts-based criteria to select church planters. Hit me up and if you want to know my church planting scouting insights!

1 QUESTION

Does your church have a clear criteria and standard to recruit leaders?

Until Next Tuesday,

John