As 2025 draws to a close, I wanted to share a genuine sneak peek into the conversations we’ll be diving into on the InFocus Blog next year. My heart is truly set on staying at the leading edge of mission—not just in the US, but globally.
Sometimes that means we need to take a brave, introspective look at ourselves; other times it demands we reconnect with the foundational power of our historic roots; and at still other times, it requires us to look ahead to anticipate what’s coming.
I see our journey in 2026 organized around these three key, continuous questions:
1. What’s Tripping Us Up from Our Primary Task? (A Candid Self-Assessment)
We’re all pouring our best into ministry, but honestly, what are the real-life barriers that are actually getting in the way of our shared, primary task of making disciples?
Is it the tyranny of the urgent? Are our schedules so full of maintenance that we have no bandwidth left for mission?
Do we need greater clarity on the goal? Do we have a shared, practical understanding of what a multiplying “disciple-maker” truly looks like in our context?
Have we unconsciously adopted certain cultural habits that actually make it harder for new people to connect, learn, and grow?
If you’re like me, you probably answered “Yes” to all of the above! I believe our shared opportunity is to become radically willing to ask this tough question about everything we do in ministry—whether we’re planting a new church or leading an established one. This isn’t about placing blame; it’s about bringing our shared struggles into the light so we can tackle them together.
Coming Up: I’m excited to share my experience with a very simple approach to making disciples and church planting. I’ll also be sharing a powerful interview I conducted with Dennis Bachman, a leader of the ViaCordis house church movement, as a clear example of how leaders are re-focusing their ministries to emphasize multiplication through disciple making.
2. Where Did We Start? (Reconnecting with Historic Roots)
I find immense strength in pausing to remember the passion and clarity of those who came before us. Let’s look back to our first-century roots:
What was the original, driving, life-giving impulse that started this whole movement?
What was the radical idea that drew people in? The strategy Jesus employed was simple: making disciples causes exponential, God-breathed growth. If it weren’t for that strategy, we wouldn’t be here today as part of this movement that started with Jesus and the twelve!
By remembering your roots, you can often find the simple, foundational truths that have perhaps gotten complicated over time. It can give you the courage to simplify and refocus.
It’s easy to confuse church planting by addition with true multiplication. We use the word “multiplication” a lot to validate ministry, but it’s starting to lose its meaning.
Coming Up: Expect a series of blogs that will challenge and re-frame the way we approach training church planters. The problem with much of the current training is that it focuses on launching well (the bigger, the better), rather than launching with proven multipliers—a paradigm shift that’s not new, but essential.
3. What’s Coming Next? (Anticipating Our Future)
As partners in this mission, let’s look forward together. While our historic roots are solid, the environment we operate in is always changing.
What are the cultural and societal shifts happening right now that will directly impact how we make disciples in the next 5-10 years? (Think technology, shifting demographics, and how people view community.)
How can we prepare for these shifts now so we meet the future with grace and effectiveness, rather than just reacting defensively?
I’m not a futurist, but the trends are clear: internationally, the largest growth is happening through regional house church networks. What strikes me is this question: Why are we—in one of the most prosperous nations in history—so far behind the “international curve” in disciple-making and church multiplication?
Coming Up: I will continue to explore different ways the international church is experiencing different results through its disciple-making focus. I especially want to disrupt the limiting narrative that says, “What works over there won’t work here.” I can’t wait to dive into this one with you!
I’ll be starting our 2026 discussion with a review of the Top 10 InFocus Blog Posts of 2025 on January 7, 2026.
Until then, I wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Is there one of these three topics you are most excited to see us dive into first?
As 2025 draws to a close, we are filled with gratitude for your partnership and excitement for the doors the Lord is opening in the year ahead. Your support is foundational to our vision: to accelerate disciple making, empower indigenous leaders, and catalyze multiplication movements across the globe.
A Global Vision: Why Now and Why These Nations?
We are seeing a massive shift in global Christianity, with vibrant, accelerating growth in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia Pacific regions. To meet this moment, our strategy is to work directly with established indigenous leaders, empowering them through coaching to multiply disciples and equip new leaders in their own cultural context.
We believe the Lord has distinctly called our team to collaborate with strategic partners in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and India in 2026.
Will You Join Us in This Movement?
This vision to empower key leaders across two nations requires committed resources. Our total budget for the necessary Training & Expenses in 2026 is $59,850.
Your year-end gift is an investment in multiplication. It doesn’t just fund a trip; it funds the coaching that equips a leader, who then trains other leaders, who then multiply disciples for generations.
Would you prayerfully consider a special year-end gift to help us meet this critical need and launch these two strategic partnerships in 2026?
Thank you for being a vital part of this global work. We are excited about what the Lord will do through our partnership in the coming year!
To make your year-end gift to support these partnerships in the DRC and India, please visit the InFocus Donor page or make your checks out to InFocus Ministries and mail them to: 25838 Seagrass Trail, Wildomar, CA 92595.
Listening and asking questions are fundamental coaching skills. The ability to genuinely listen and understand what the Holy Spirit is doing during discipleship or leadership discussions can yield profound insights. Personally, I have dedicated myself to becoming increasingly skilled at recognizing the Holy Spirit’s voice – there’s no replacement for investing time and attention. Cultivating this ability in others to listen to and interpret the Holy Spirit’s guidance is both thrilling and transformative.
It blurs the distinction between spiritual guidance and coaching, but over time, disciples remain engaged and are more inclined to pass on their faith to future generations. Leaders embody authentic lives that align with their God-given identity. One leader who has integrated a coaching approach into his community has noticed a remarkable shift in how disciples participate in their journey of making disciples. One result has been an increased sense of “mystery” – a mystery surrounding Jesus’s longing to capture the hearts of all people, along with the unexpected discoveries they encounter along the way.
One area that has seen significant change is its outreach to “young adults.” By placing responsibility where it rightfully belongs, new disciples are taking initiative to align their lives in more fulfilling ways, which has transformed the culture. An emerging leader has risen to take the lead with a vision to guide others in listening and obeying!
Beyond Individual Coaching: Empowering Networks
If you’re a pastor or leader aiming to empower others through coaching, one of the most effective tools you can adopt is coaching itself!
As your demand for more coaches surpasses your individual capacity—transitioning from one to many—a crucial and essential step is to establish a standardized coach training program. This guarantees that all leaders employing a coaching approach, regardless of their previous experience, follow a consistent process and maintain uniform practices.
This establishes crucial quality control for your network and for the “clients” (disciple-makers, leaders, pastors, church planters, missionaries) you support.
Yet, standardizing practices is merely the starting point. To genuinely witness your coach network thrive, ongoing quality control and investment in your coaches’ development are essential.
The Challenge: Ensuring Coaching Excellence
Initially, your network may assess coaches based on their previous achievements, interpersonal skills, or formal education, such as Christian counseling. While these qualifications are beneficial, they do not always guarantee consistent coaching success. The truth is that leaders guided by “coaches” with diverse competencies will experience different levels of success.
Effective and consistent coaching is the “X” factor that will significantly influence your network’s success. Without dependable and valid assessment and development, it becomes challenging to determine where to concentrate your efforts for a coach’s growth.
Here are five typical challenges networks encounter when they fail to assess and develop their coaches:
1. Mixed Results: In the absence of formal assessment, a coach has a 50/50 chance of unlocking a leader’s potential.
2. Intuition Can Be Misleading: Many coaches, even those with some training, often depend on intuition for their own growth, which can be inaccurate.
3. Unreliable Feedback: Although client feedback is valuable, it is limited as a primary assessment tool.
4. Lack of Developmental Pathway: Without a systematic process, coaches do not have a clear roadmap for ongoing improvement.
5. No Guide to Walk Alongside: Coaches require mentors to assist them in effectively honing their skills.
Even as a solo pastor initiating a leadership training program in your congregation, you will face these challenges. In a team or network, the complexity of the problem increases with the number of coaches involved.
When was your last formal coach assessment?
Up until now, I’ve discussed everyone except for you. You may have completed a basic coach training program. You might have also undergone a competency-based assessment. If you haven’t, have you thought about taking the 360° Christian Coach Assessment?
Maybe you completed coach training that ended with the 360° Christian Coach Assessment. Is it time for you to reassess your progress in your coaching development? This assessment will establish a new baseline, help you recognize the changes in your growth, and include up to seven clients you have coached. Generally, most leaders only have two assessors during their initial assessment.
We see the 360° Christian Coach Assessment as a sort of annual check-up for coaches, suggesting a timeframe of 12-24 months between assessments. The key point to think about is whether the next step in your coaching development should be the assessment or perhaps some other specialized training that aligns with your unique ministry focus.
What about you?
Think about what actions you can take to enhance your coaching effectiveness.
Consider having a coach mentor support you along the way.
I can assist you in your coaching development journey and speed up your growth.
The added benefit?
The International Coach Federation (ICF) acknowledges the 9 Christian competency areas, 55 behavioral outcomes, AND coach mentoring with InFocus. In summary, 10 hours of coach mentoring fulfill the requirement for ICF certification.
Are you ready to advance in your personal coaching journey or to empower your team with truly exceptional Christian coaches?
Thanksgiving reminds us to pause for a day and give thanks for our loved ones, nearby and away.
To the InFocus Community…
Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with family and friends. We are thankful for what this year has brought, and are excited to see what next year has in store. We truly feel like our cup runs over. As you reflect on this past year, what things make you feel like your cup is running over?
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”
Get ready for a genuinely feel-good story about self-discovery and intentional growth!
For those unfamiliar, the Harrison Assessment is a powerful tool designed to pinpoint the behavioral traits an employee enjoys and doesn’t enjoy in their specific job—it’s all about matching activities with enthusiasm. (If you want to dive deeper, you can explore the concepts further in this blog: [CLICK HERE].)
💖 From “Possible Fit” to Passionate Performance
I recently had a conversation with a wonderful new hire—let’s call her Kim—in a denominational role. Her interview process included the Harrison Assessment, and she shared a poignant, powerful story about how she leveraged the report’s insights to transform her experience. With her permission, I’m thrilled to share her journey.
When Kim took the Harrison within the last year, her initial Composite Score landed her as a “Possible Fit” with a score of 70%.
💡 Job Performance Theory suggests that when an employee enjoys 75% or more of their job, they become a “Probable Fit” and are generally three times more productive. The higher the score, the deeper the enjoyment!
A 70% fit is good, but Kim saw an opportunity to get to that “Probable Fit” level—a chance to find more joy and boost her productivity.
🎯 Identifying Key Growth Areas
The report offers a high-level view (the 30,000-foot view is seen in the image of the actual scores at the top of this blog), but its true power lies in breaking down Essential Traits. These are the key traits where high performers in that exact job (tied to Key Performance Indicators or KPIs) typically score 75% or higher.
For Kim’s position, 12 such traits were identified out of the 125 evaluated overall. The top two, listed in order of importance to the job, were Takes Initiative and Analytical.
Kim’s experience after getting the job is where the story truly shines:
“I saw the initial score, and I was motivated to increase my enjoyment in my new role. I immediately asked my supervisor, Mike, to coach me. I wanted help increasing my enjoyment in the lower traits.”
This is the relational core of the story: taking ownership and engaging a coach in her personal growth journey.
🌱 The Power of Intentional Development
Let’s look at the specific traits Kim targeted for growth:
Takes Initiative: The tendency to perceive what’s necessary and proceed on one’s own.
Kim’s Score: Landed on the Negative Impact side of the scale, bordering on “Slight to Moderate.” This indicated that proactively starting tasks wasn’t a natural source of enjoyment for her in this role.
Analytical: The tendency to logically examine facts and situations (separate from analytical ability).
Kim’s Score: Landed on the Positive Impact side, in the “Moderate” column. This was a relative strength, but it still had room to grow toward a higher level of enjoyment.
The report’s color coding helps Kim understand whether she naturally derives a positive or negative impact/enjoyment from this trait while doing the job.
🎉 Embracing the Joy of Work
After working diligently on these Essential Traits—especially “Takes Initiative”—through focused coaching and self-awareness, Kim shared her enthusiastic update:
“When I first started, I saw the opportunity to grow, and my supervisor, Mike, was so gracious and supportive in helping me! The detailed information in the Harrison report, combined with the coaching I received, motivated me to change my approach. Now I am absolutely loving my work! I truly experienced the value of this process.”
Kim’s journey is a beautiful testament to the fact that a lower assessment score isn’t a limitation—it’s a roadmap for growth. By intentionally focusing on areas where she could increase her enjoyment, she not only improved her performance but also transformed her daily experience, turning a “Possible Fit” into a genuine source of professional joy.
What part of the story resonated most with you—Kim’s response to the Harrison information, or the supervisor’s supportive coaching?
Last year, around this time, I participated in the 4th Lausanne Congress in Seoul, Korea. Originally, the Congress was established to harness missionary efforts around the world to evangelize and complete the mission Jesus set out to accomplish. You can read more about my experience in this blog post: With Sincere Gratitude… It was a privilege to be a participant in this “by-invitation-only” event. My takeaways are shared in this blog: Three Highlights from Lausanne 2024. A year on, and I wonder if the Church, the body of Christ, is making real strides towards fulfilling the Great Commission:
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
How are you tracking your disciples, who are making disciples?
The Great Commission isn’t just a suggestion; it’s the defining mission of the Church. This leads to the crucial principle: You track what matters.
I coach leaders who take disciple-making seriously. These leaders track the development of disciple-making movements in their ministries. They have discipleship trees to show the expansion and growth from one generation to the next. Others work with apps like Waha. No matter the method, the point is: you track what matters.
It makes me wonder what business the church is in.
This isn’t about running the Church like a secular corporation, but about recognizing the vital “business” it is in—the business of people transformation and Kingdom expansion. The metrics we track should reflect the health and growth of discipleship, not just attendance or budget.
One of the hardest things in local church ministry and missions is to keep the main thing, the main thing! It doesn’t matter if you serve in a co-vocational ministry, restricted-access context, or a local church; keeping the main thing the main thing is challenging.
What gets in the way of disciple-making?
Finances: The necessary time spent on financial spreadsheets and fundraising can easily overshadow the time needed for personal, intentional discipleship. We must constantly remind ourselves that money is a means to a much greater end—the multiplication of disciples.
Facilities: The model of ministry often dictates the focus. When a building (a prevailing church model) is the central gathering point, its maintenance and programs can consume energy, time, and resources. Conversely, a network of organic, micro-churches shifts the focus from property to people.
Ministry Busyness: In the Apostle Paul’s letters (addressing issues of worship in 1 Corinthians and identity in Christ in Ephesians), the early church was constantly dealing with relational and doctrinal distractions. If Paul, the ultimate church planter, faced this, our challenge is compounded across 2,000 years of cultural drift and complexity.
It’s truly ironic that with all the resources available today—technology, education, communication—we still struggle to keep disciple-making as the primary mission.
✅ How to Keep Disciple Making the Main Thing: A Relational Approach
The shift is often simple in concept but challenging in execution. It requires moving from a ministry-as-event model to a ministry-as-relationship model. Here are five steps to make disciple-making the main thing:
Identify what to track: Move beyond counting attendees or dollars and start tracking spiritual generations (disciples who are making disciples, and their disciples).
Communicate what you are tracking: Make the importance of spiritual lineage a core relational value of the ministry. It gives purpose and direction.
Invite your team to participate: This is the key relational step. Discipleship is not a solo act; it requires shared vulnerability, accountability, and partnership across all levels of leadership.
Track it! Use simple or sophisticated tools (like discipleship trees) to visually celebrate the multiplication.
Review, assess, and modify: This is a cycle of relational health check. Are we truly investing in people who are capable and committed to investing in others?
The Relational Reward
When you begin to track disciples who are making disciples, the benefits are profoundly relational and spiritual:
Energizes people: Leaders and participants move from being program consumers to mission contributors.
Priorities change: The focus naturally shifts from maintaining structures to multiplying relationships.
Resources are redirected: Funds and time are allocated to training, mentoring, and relational development rather than just maintenance and events.
That’s a great idea! Presenting the information on the practical metrics for Disciple-Making Movements (DMM) in a table will make it much clearer and easier to reference.
Here is the requested table outlining the DMM metrics:
Practical Metrics for Disciple-Making Movements (DMM)
Metric Category
Specific Metrics to Track
Why It Matters (Relational Impact)
Generational Growth
Generations Reached: The highest number of sequential spiritual generations produced in a movement.
Measures multiplication and sustained effort beyond the initial group, indicating reproductive health.
New Believers & Baptisms
Number of new believers who are baptized and immediately integrated into a discipleship group.
Measures obedience to Christ’s command and the first key step of relational integration/discipleship.
Group Formation
New Groups Started: The number of new reproducible small groups or house churches started within a given timeframe.
Measures expansion and capacity for others to lead, shepherd, and host the movement.
Leadership Development
New Leaders Emerging: The number of individuals in one generation who successfully start and lead the next generation.
Measures the effectiveness of leadership training and the empowerment of new believers.
Obedience/Health
Obedience Metrics: Tracking adherence to specific “Commands of Christ,” such as sharing one’s testimony, starting a new group, or consistent prayer.
Focuses the team on obedience (Matthew 28:20) as the primary indicator of discipleship, not just knowledge.
Worship/Gathering
Worshiping Gatherings: The number of gatherings that demonstrate the 7-10 essential elements of a healthy, reproducible church or group.
Ensures new groups are fully functioning, healthy expressions of the Body of Christ, ready to reproduce.
Have you ever faced a situation where you needed to deliver tough feedback?
What did you say?
How was it received?
What lessons did you take away?
These are valuable questions to reflect on with yourself or a trusted colleague.
Recently, I found myself in a sensitive discussion with a coach trainee. As I got ready to review his coach assessment report, I found it challenging because the profile was significantly low. In my experience, this was the lowest profile I had ever seen. So, I had to think about how to approach the conversation as it was coming up. In your ministry, you might face a tough issue that you need to discuss with a leader. While the context may differ, the necessity to prepare and process thoughtfully remains the same.
Define the Objective
It’s crucial to clearly state the goal of the conversation. For example, I wanted to ensure we were on the same page, so I said, “We will review his assessment and the feedback from those he coached to help him pinpoint areas for growth.” Keep it straightforward and uncomplicated.
It’s also beneficial to remind everyone that we all have areas for improvement. The aim is to continually enhance our skills – to keep getting better!
Emphasize the Positives
At first, I recognized the reality of his profile and pointed out that there are positive aspects we can glean from his report.
Before diving into the negatives, I focused on the positive elements from his report. It’s easy to overlook the good contributions the leader made to coaching and get caught up in the negatives. This is crucial when entering a challenging conversation.
Pose Questions
Ask plenty of questions. However, ensure that your questions are purposeful and significant. You’re not just asking questions for the sake of it.
The more you can center the discussion on their reflections of the positives, the better.
Pause
Let the discussion come to a natural halt before proceeding. It’s simple to do, but you might feel tempted to rush the conversation. Once you bring up the negatives, it’s hard to revert because the attention will inevitably shift back to the negative aspects. It’s interesting how that happens, but it becomes quite challenging to return to the positive once the negative has been revealed.
Reiterate the Goal
It’s crucial to emphasize this before diving into the more significant details. Keep the spotlight on the leader. Make this entirely about them.
Have you personally experienced either receiving or delivering difficult feedback? What strategies or suggestions would you add to this list? What did you discover worked, and what could be changed?
Check out these resources to discover strategies for handling tough conversations!
“I don’t know when and how I was born. I don’t even know who my parents were. By the time I was old enough to understand, I was in the streets of Kampala, Uganda, being taken care of by fellow street kids. I don’t know how I survived the dirt, hunger, coldness, disease, and danger! I don’t even know how a stranger named Rev. Kefa Ssempangi decided to take me off the streets. All I know is that this Good Samaritan gave me more than shelter, food, and clothing.”
Richard Sempa
I met Richard during the fourth gathering of the Lausanne Congress at a breakout session. His background is much like that of many in Uganda, yet his path is filled with hope for the future. You can find more about his story here. Today, he enjoys a lovely family life with his wife Stella and their children: Robin (12), Ronah (10), Randy (7), and Reagan (5).
In 2004, Richard established the Africa Life Youth Foundation. Their vision includes mobile Bible training, child sponsorship, youth camps, student outreach ministry, pro-life initiatives, and church planting. At present, they have successfully planted three churches and aim to establish two new churches each year by reproducing existing ones – click here for more information. Church multiplication is a strategic approach to ensure that more and better disciples are developed.
Here are two statistics that highlight the situation in Uganda:
Christianity is on the rise in Sub-Saharan Africa and the Asia Pacific (Global Christianity).
Uganda is ranked #5 for having one of the youngest populations globally, with a median age of 16.9 years.
Richard and I are set to launch a coach training program in January 2026, which will train 5 leaders in Christian coaching, enabling them to train others, including leaders from similar organizations. Our shared objective is for disciples to create more disciples, extending into the third and fourth generations. Ultimately, the churches that train church planters will have leaders available to coach their church planters. The coach training process we are implementing will reflect what InFocus is doing in Project Congo – CLICK HERE.
Multiplication differs from addition, and it is certainly distinct from reproduction. Multiplication speeds up the process of making disciples and planting churches. Focusing on multiplying disciples emphasizes the essentials for a disciple-making movement, while multiplying churches concentrates on the essentials for a church planting movement, where coaching plays a strategic role.
One example of multiplying disciples is known as a 3-Thirds Group. There are certainly other models, but the key ingredients for this model are simplicity and reproducibility. In my experience with the 3-Thirds Group process, I’ve observed a few significant characteristics:
Disciples understand the value of community.
Disciples appreciate the strength of Scripture.
Disciples honor the act of confessing sin.
Disciples build resilience through repentance.
Disciples engage by sharing their experiences with others.
These are fundamental aspects of disciplemaking that Jesus demonstrated with His followers, and they are what we aim to focus on in our coach training for Disciplemaking Movements (DMM) & Church Planting Movements (CPM) in Uganda.
Reflection Questions for a Reproducible Disciplemaking Process:
How purposefully are you assisting others in navigating the 5 points mentioned above?
Can you depict your process on a napkin?
Can you describe your process in under 5 minutes?
If you’re interested in a straightforward discipleship group format:
I read Viral – Hearing God’s Voice in a Global Pandemic…and Beyond by Neil Cole and thought it was worth sharing with you. With all the available content available today, it is difficult to discern what is worth reading and what isn’t. I would definitely put Neil Cole’s book, “Viral,” on the “should read” list. I don’t use the term “must read” because it is overused and loses its meaning, but you should read this book.
In the 6th chapter, the author outlines 8 principles that catalyze Jesus’ movements. Each is critical IF you aspire to participate in some way in a multiplication movement that multiplies Jesus followers, disciple-making communities, and churches. I know other authors have distilled their lists, but I found Cole’s list gets to the root issues of a movement. Here is the list, which I am going to attempt to summarize in my language so that it might cause you to prayerfully consider them, read about them, and most importantly, implement them.
Let’s get started:
Self-Directed Learning
All too often, church leaders and structure can get in the way of what the Holy Spirit is saying to a person on the individual level. Sermons can be great sources of information along with small group curriculum, but the most powerful type of learning is that which comes from within the disciple of Jesus. When we were raising our children, I realized that when they grasped for topics that truly interested them, they were inspired to learn more. In this way, providing opportunities for Jesus followers to self-select where they need to grow can be the most powerful learning they will encounter on the spiritual journey. This more individual approach will shape the culture of any community.
Learning in Community
Over the last year, I’ve stepped away from the more common approach to training leaders in Christian coaching, which is to work individually, one trainer per one leader, To a more group-oriented approach. Instead of 1-1, I broadened my scope to 1-3 leaders. I did this primarily out of the realization that I was working cross-culturally in a context that was more communal. Makes total sense given my background in small groups, but it never clicked until this last year in the way I train. What I discovered is a more powerful dynamic. It goes along with the idea that what you learn together will make you grow faster.
Simple and Replicable Methods
It is frustrating when we raise the bar so high for people to find and follow Jesus that you need a college degree to navigate the maze. In fact, what many leaders deem as simple is actually complex to the average person. I’ve written on this topic if you are interested – READ MORE HERE.
Letting The Bible Speak for Itself
This is especially problematic with the inundation of content from Christian communicators. Much of it is good, but some of it is not so good. The challenge is when we ask people to read the Bible and let it speak – they lack the ability or skill to listen and hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to them.
Empowering all God’s People in a Lateral Leadership Model
This is especially challenging in our culture of celebrity. We all have gifts and abilities God wants to use. And you may or may not reach the status of “celebrity,” but the seeds of a gospel movement are planted inside of you and every Jesus follower. The question is, “What are you and I going to do about it?” This is not to say that there exist leaders of leaders. No, but the more people can imagine their part in a gospel movement, the flatter the organization will become. And the more agile that organization, or another way of saying that is: the more the power is “distributed” to the first-time follower of Jesus, the more they can share in the movement.
Obedience-Oriented
It is said that everything rises and falls on leadership. More elementary than that, in a Jesus movement, everything rises and falls on obedience. You only need to read the words of Matthew 28:20a, “and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” It is easy to rely on other apparatuses in ministry. However, the catalyst for multiplication rises and falls on obedience!
Use of Filters
I believe this one will rub some the wrong way because it might go against the grain of best practices for pastoral care, but in the ministry of training and equipping disciple makers, it is important to focus. Cole uses the word “filter” as the process of prioritizing people of peace, or receptive individuals to the gospel, who are gatekeepers. I like the way he casts the vision to move with those who are leaning into Jesus and hold the keys to a group of people that they influence. Here are some of the examples he uses:
Culturally Transferable and Globally Applicable Methods
Principles are just that. They work regardless of culture. They are not model-specific. One example of a principle borrowed from science is gravity. When I mountain bike and take a fall, I 100% of the time will hit the ground. I go down, not up. In disciple-making, the need to confess sin is essential for growth. Further, a change in behavior, or repentance, is essential to reinforce the change.
High-Impact Viral Ministry Reflection Questions
Are you building dependent followers or self-directed disciples? What is the evidence that the people you train are capable of teaching themselves and others?
How can we transform our current learning spaces into vibrant, irresistible communities that naturally draw people in and propel them toward deeper knowledge and action?
If you had to cut 50% of your ministry activities tomorrow, what would you eliminate to focus exclusively on what directly reproduces mature disciples?
What are the subtle ways we might be editing, complicating, or talking over the pure voice of Scripture, preventing its direct, unvarnished impact?
What specific actions are you taking to make discipleship the universal expectation (the “bar”) for everyone, while simultaneously making leadership accessible and shared among many?
What is the missing invitation or challenge that could move people from simply knowing the truth to actually experiencing the joy and transformation of obeying it?
Beyond good intentions, what is your measurable strategy for identifying and focusing your time and resources on the “people of peace” who will accelerate your mission?
If someone observed your team for a week, what core, non-negotiable principles would they easily identify as the actual, lived “DNA” that governs every decision and action?
A couple felt a strong calling to plant a church in a rapidly growing community. They did all the right things: visiting the location, prayer-walking the streets, and sharing their vision with trusted mentors at their home church. When it was time, they took the next crucial step: engaging in a thorough assessment process, including the behavioral interview, which is the gold standard for most church planting networks.
The insights they gained were powerful. The assessment clearly affirmed their incredible relational capacity and knack for casting a compelling vision. But—and this is key—it also gently highlighted an area for growth: being more intentional about building robust disciple-making ministries.
Armed with this clear-eyed understanding and the full support of their sending church, they launched in August 2022. Fast forward three years, and their church is thriving! They’ve appointed elders, are financially self-sustaining, and have cultivated a vibrant community where over 80% of adults are actively engaged in disciple-making groups.
This kind of rapid, healthy growth isn’t just luck; it’s the direct result of a well-equipped couple who understood their strengths and proactively addressed their growth areas before launch.
It’s a Launchpad, Not a Hurdle
Think of a church planter assessment as your personal compass. Its main goal is to pinpoint a planter’s unique strengths and surface the areas where they might need a little extra coaching or support to truly flourish.
If you’re an aspiring church planter, a lead pastor in a sending church, or a network leader, you know how important it is to be a good steward of your resources—time, money, and people. What if you could increase your accuracy for identifying successful planters with reliable, granular data? The great news is that church planter assessments have come a long way.
Why Investing in a Strong Assessment is Valuable
When we look at organizations outside the church, we see powerful data:
As much as 80% of employee turnover is due to bad hiring decisions (according to The Harvard Business Review).
It’s estimated that a “bad hire” can cost an organization up to five times their annual salary (SHRM Study).
We are investing in eternal work. The stakes couldn’t be higher. A comprehensive assessment is an investment in the long-term health and sustainability of the planter, their family, and the church they’re called to start.
Consider Adding a Trait Assessment to Your Process
Most church planting networks rely on the Behavioral Interview—a tried-and-true method that helps assessors create a comprehensive profile. We wholeheartedly support this method, and we believe a powerful combination is to pair it with a Trait Assessment.
1. Behavioral Interview: Getting to Know the Real Planter
A behavioral interview dives into in-depth conversations about the planter’s past experiences. Assessors explore specific real-life situations—how the leader approached them, the decisions they made, and how they navigated the relationships involved. Past behavior is often the best indicator of future performance. This process can predict both areas of success and areas that might become a stumbling block without focused attention.
2. Trait Assessment: People Gravitate to Activities They Enjoy
When we talk about traits, we’re talking about those built-in, natural bents you came into the world with—the unique ways your brain and body are wired. They are often aptitudes you didn’t learn in a class but are a part of who you are.
For instance, maybe you’ve always been great at connecting with people, effortlessly relating while at the grocery store or pumping gas. Or perhaps you’re more introverted and thrive in solitude, finding that spending time with a crowd drains your emotional battery. These are your raw, natural inclinations.
The great news? With focused coaching and support, the traits that support these behaviors can be developed! The Harrison Assessment is a reliable tool we use that looks at 125 traits and filters them through the essential church planter competencies to rate the level of enjoyment a planter will experience in various tasks. Enjoyment Performance Theory suggests that when a person enjoys 75% or more of what they do, they will be three times more productive. (You can read more about the Harrison Assessment, HERE).
The Benefit of Two Assessments
The behavioral assessment is based on the ratings of the assessors, while the trait assessment is a self-assessment conducted by the planter. Combined, they formulate a comprehensive picture of the church planter’s potential to plant a healthy, reproducible church. Anecdotally, the results are impressively consistent, with the data from both assessments supporting each other and giving us great confidence in the path forward.
Partnership between InFocus & Thrive Church Planting
Since 2020, I’ve had the joy of collaborating with Micah Dodson of Thrive Church Planting on Leadership Collectives, Discipleship Collectives, and coach training. Now, we are working together to provide comprehensive church planter assessments.
It’s About Flourishing as a Human
In a recent conversation with a former assessment client, Micah was reminded of the deep power and influence of a robust assessment. The planter was calling to share his excitement over the recent grand opening of their church plant: stories of baptisms, a growing leadership team, and strong attendance.
While celebrating all of those wins, the planter reminded Micah of an assessment recommendation he had received a year prior.
Humbly, he opened up: “Remember that invitation to put away my phone and laptop on evenings and days off?”
Micah recalled, “Yes, how has that been going?”
The planter explained, “It has been so impactful to my family. In fact, over the summer, we spent more time together having fun than any summer prior.”
Micah was so encouraged. The contribution the assessment had made wasn’t just about his church’s health; it was about his family’s health, his personal health, and his belief that he could plant a church and flourish as a human and a child of God. Please let us know if you are interested in learning more about the assessment process we use – CLICK HERE to find a time to speak with Gary that fits your schedule. We’d love to partner with you in helping planters thrive.
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