Sending church representatives attend a workshop during the Send Network Assessment Retreat in Little Rock. (Mary Alford/ABN)
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Church planting candidates gathered Monday and Tuesday at the Arkansas Baptist State Convention (ABSC) building in Little Rock for a two-day Send Network Arkansas Assessment Retreat to confirm their calling and become better equipped as they embark on their potential church planting journey.
A culmination of months of the candidates completing various pre-assessment tools and interviews, the assessment’s purpose is to identify the strengths and weaknesses to better equip and train the planters.
Five couples from Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Missouri participated in this week’s assessment retreat. The retreat included prayer, candidate interviews, sending church workshops on what it means to sponsor and launch a church plant, and more.
ABSC Church Planting Strategist Jay Ham said each candidate was observed by different assessors on topics like leadership, family dynamics, missional strategy, and emotional and spiritual health. Additionally, the candidates shared their calling to church planting and their vision.
“We’re not here to assess their call to plant. We are just here to assess their readiness,” Ham said.
At the end of the retreat, the assessors create a final report for the sponsor churches and discuss the next steps to take with the planters. Candidates are given one of three recommendations – ready, development needed, or redirect.
If given the ready recommendation, the candidate continues their journey of church planting and is given all the support that comes with an official Send Network endorsement.
If they receive a development needed, candidates are given a growth plan to complete in an expressed time frame before the opportunity of a reassessment.
If given a redirect, the assessors feel the candidate should pursue a ministry other than church planting.
As day two wrapped up, Arkansas Tech University BCM Minister Adam McCampbell told candidates that whatever recommendation is given by the assessors, is a recommendation in love for that couple.
“What they’re saying to you is out of love and out of the goodness of what God wants to do through you wherever He takes you,” McCampbell said.
The retreat is held in partnership with the North American Mission Board (NAMB) and Send Network. For more information on church planting in Arkansas, click here. To learn more about the Send Network Assessment Retreat, visit https://www.namb.net/send-network/church-planting/assessment/.