Evergreen Church Planter Assessment: Stewarding Leadership Potential

At Evergreen Network, we believe that healthy churches begin with healthy leaders. That’s why our Church Planter Assessment process is one of the most thorough steps we take in preparing leaders to establish new churches. Far more than a simple interview, the process evolves over 60-days and concludes with a 4-day experience designed to prayerfully and carefully discern a candidate’s calling, competency, capacity, and contextual fit for church planting.

Earlier this month our Assessment Team (pictured below) conducted our first "reimagined" Assessment Event in Edmonds, WA assessing candidates for 2026. We have another scheduled for November and plans to hold them quarterly in 2026. Our team has more than 210 years of combined church planting and assessment experience–– that is a lot of wisdom and discernment assembled in one group.

Pre-Assessment

The journey begins with 60 days of pre-assessment. Candidates and their spouses complete detailed theological questionnaires, personal and marriage inventories, financial stewardship reviews, background checks and psychological testing. These tools help to provide a comprehensive picture of each couple heading into the evaluation. Each candidate and spouse also meet with our dedicated licensed therapist before moving forward to ensure that our couples are emotionally and psychologically prepared for the stresses of church planting.

Assessment Event

Those invited to continue are asked to participate in our Assessment Event–– 4 VERY full days with our team of experienced leaders, engaging in group exercises, presentations, bible competency testing, interviews, and peer evaluations. This immersive environment allows candidates to be seen from multiple angles while also giving them space to discover more about themselves, their relationships, and their readiness for the journey ahead.

Evergreen’s 11 Success Factors & Competencies

Throughout the process our assessors measure candidates against the following attributes that we believe are vital in healthy and qualified church planters that establish churches that are built to last.

1. Spiritual Vitality

2. Marriage & Family Health

3. Relational Skills

4. Directional Clarity

5. Entrepreneurial Capacity

6. Catalytic Leadership

7. Communication

8. Evangelism & Discipleship

9. Contextual Awareness

10. Work Ethic

11. Coachability

Final Recommendation

Finally, at the conclusion of the Assessment Event, each couple receives one of three formal recommendations: Recommend, Not Now, or Not Recommend. Every participant also receives personalized feedback, including both observed strengths and areas for growth—because we believe every leader is a “work in process” and has the capacity to grow.

In short, Evergreen’s Assessment is not about passing or failing—it’s about stewardship. By walking alongside leaders with wisdom, care, and thorough evaluation, we increase the likelihood that each leader remains healthy and each new church begins with the strongest foundation possible.

How you can help - Thank you for your partnership! Here are some ways you can partner in ministry this month:

• Take a moment to thank God for our Assessment Team and each of the candidates being assessed each quarter. Pray for each of them!
• Take a moment to pray for the 4 new churches that are preparing to have their Grand Openings on October 5th: Odyssey, Society, The Cove & High Desert.
• Consider making a financial gift to help us to provide services like our Church Planter Assessment.
• Forward this email to a friend! The more people praying for our work the better!