A new church offers a way that you get to know people well. This beginning allows you to have a unique closeness with unbelievers. As you build something from nothing, it forces you to dive deep into relationships and personal discipleship. I had that opportunity with one such person at our Iron Ridge Church. His name was DJ Scholtes.

We need to focus on methods of discipleship that impact our next generation. We can no longer assume we are making disciples. Current models of church planting focus heavily on “How” to church plant and often assume discipleship happens. If we are to see this next generation rise and expand God’s Kingdom, we need to focus our resources on discipleship. Several years ago, I remember seeing a well-known pastor/speaker at Exponential who traveled with a group of young leaders from his church.

This is a personal invitation for you to come visit a Converge Church Planters Assessment Center (CPAC). If you want to jump start your ability to identify and work with church planters, taking part in an assessment center would be the best way. Besides that, winter is just around the corner and many of our assessments are in warm and sunny locations.

Here are four simple things to look for in potential church planters when you meet people and have those casual summer conversations:

Prior to his retirement from Temple Baptist Church (now Communitas Church) in Brainerd, MN, Bob Evan was researching historical documents for the church’s 130th anniversary. He came upon a number of “newsletters” and meeting minutes from the origins of the church. The newsletters were written by and to, other Swedish immigrants in the Brainerd area. And, they were written in Swedish.