Discerning a call to New Episcopal Community Leadership

Are you, or someone you know, discerning a call to start a New Episcopal Community?  Having a self-aware, faithful and gifted leader is one of the most important keys to building momentum for a new church.  Often, the gifts gifts exhibited by a strong planter can vary greatly from those needed to succeed in an established ministry. Careful discernment on the front end is important, both for you and for the health and resilience of your New Episcopal Community!  

What questions should I be asking?

If you are considering New Episcopal Community leadership, start by asking yourself these questions:

• Do I have a strong personal theology of evangelism and Christian community that is naturally lived out through inviting people into a new faith community?
  
• Does the idea of starting something from scratch energize me?
  
• Am I at a point in my life, vocation and family responsibilities where I can take financial and professional risk?
  
• Have I developed healthy practices for managing conflict, criticism and personal failure?
  
• Do I have a strong base of social relationships that would support a call to New Episcopal Community leadership?
  
• Do I enjoy, and have a talent toward, gathering people into shared hospitality and a shared vision?
  
• Have I exhibited “grit” (the perseverance to pursue long-term goals, despite setback) in other areas of my life and ministry?

If you answered “yes” to most of these questions, New Episcopal Community leadership might be for you!  Contact us if you would like to talk more about your call, or if you’re discerning whether or not to attend a New Episcopal Community Leadership Assessment described below.   

The best way to discern a call to church planting is to attend a New Episcopal Community Leadership Assessment. These take place in small groups of about 15 people and last 4 days. They involve conversations about missional theology, evangelism, the life of a church planter and neighborhood engagement exercises.  They conclude with an in-depth behavioral interview process. At the end, you will be offered feedback and a recommendation of “it’s a fit,” “it’s not a fit,” or “it’s potentially a fit.”

2024 Events

NEC Leadership Assessments in 2024 will be announced soon.  

The in person assessment cost is $650.  This includes the cost of the assessment, housing and most meals.  Participants will need to provide transportation to the event site.  We highly encourage you to seek financial assistance from your local diocese.

The online assessment cost is $350.

What gifts do we look for?

Though no one can accurately predict 100% of the time whether a particular leader will succeed at starting a sustainable, new church community, we have found that there are certain gifts and competencies that are very helpful in this work. Among these are: 

• Having the vision and intrinsic motivation to start a new worshiping community 
• Emotional resilience and the ability to manage conflict and personal failure 
• Maintaining a strong base of social relationships that support the call to leadership
• Entrepreneurial interest and experience
• A high capacity for risk taking
• Strong cross cultural skills
• The ability to build a successful team, gather people into a shared vision and leadership
• Grit, including the perseverance to pursue long-term goals

To read more about the competencies helpful in a potential church planter, read through the Assessment Guide for New Episcopal Community Leaders: