All out sprinting combined with chest high obstacles make for one of the most difficult events in all of sport, the hurdles. Great hurdlers evoke wonder as they sail over these obstacles with split second precision. Less then great hurdlers, on the other hand, often evoke a grimace as they trip and plant their faces in the track.
The analogy is perfect for those of us starting new ministries. Some planting hurdles are smaller (”Which coffee shop become my de-facto office?”) and others are enormous (”It cost how much to start a children’s ministry?”). All seem to require that we run at full speed and for those of us who have face planted (and or watch a great friend do so) getting them right is very important.
As I have run at them, or cheered on friends who are racing, I have noticed that a very short list of hurdles repeat themselves over and over. Every planter will see these four obsticles as they run: Assessment, Funding Models, Initial Strategy and Joy in the Job.
Let me explain Assessment and in future posts I will deal with the other hurdles one by one.
Hurdle One: Team Leader Assessment.
In our race to advance the cause Team leaders are to often chosen before they are fully vetted. The demanding full speed leaps required for this job, including casting vision, raising funds, facilitating spiritual hunger, building relationships, negotiating conflict and risk management are all behaviors that MUST be in place BEFORE the starting gun sounds. If the planter is not properly assessed the plant has literally an 80% chance of landing up in the dirt.
Too many missions and church planting organizations what to take short cuts here. The reasons for skipping or skimping on assessment seem to repeat themselves over and over again.
1. Rushed Promotion: To persevere an opportunity or quail a crisis someone is appointed as team leader too quickly and without assessment. Short cuts are never shorter and in planting they are a formula for major abrasions on both the planter and the mission field. Quality in leadership not calendar should drive ever plant. Whenever you hear someone say, “Get Jim in there quickly before this opportunity passes.” a hurdle getting ready to trip up the plant.
2. Old Faithful : Without being assessed, someone who has proven themselves faithful in a supporting role is made a team leader. The problem here is that faithfulness alone cannot determine whether or not the planter has the specific job experience and skill set needed to plant well. Whenever you here, “Forget the regular process – by golly Jim has been the most loyal leader ever. It should be his turn to plant.” a hurdle is likely to trip up both Jim and his team.
3. The Buddy System: The unassessed leader is given the job of team leader based on their connections to top leaders in the oraganization, not based on their past behaviors and skill set. 
This can often be a relative or former staff member of someone powerful. Whenever you here: “The word came done from the big office that Jim gets the job and doesn’t have to go through the normal vetting process.” you are likely to be headed for a hurdle trip.
I am not the sort who advocates one method or tool often, but in the case of assessing team leaders I have becoem somewhat inflexible. There just is no better method of determining rediness for team leadership then Dr. Charles Ridley’s Church Planter Profile Assessment.
Next: Funding Models and why planter fail.