Good looking models
When I can't sleep I like to mark papers. Marked one the other night. The student was wrestling with his call to church planting. The whole paper was about analyzing various church planting models and case studies in order to select the right one. The equation? Right model = success.
A well written paper. Unfortunately it was the wrong question. Anyone can construct a good model. On paper.
THE critical issue is the planter. No exceptions. It's leadership. Character and skills. Heart and hands.
After that make sure you've chosen the right community and/or ministry focus group. Then find some great team members and come up with the best model you can as a starting point.
How can you find out if you're an effective church planter? There's some helpful resources out there. newchurches.com has some listed. Our most effective tool has been the behavioral interview process developed by Bob Logan and Charles Ridley at CoachNet.
Don't make the decision to plant a church without a strong sense of call that has been validated by godly wisdom. No matter what mark you get for your essay.