Thank you for your interest in church planting. By completing this form, you will allow us to become acquainted with you as we begin the process of qualifying you as a church planter with APEX and the Baptist Bible Fellowship International. 

The purpose of APEX is to enlist, train, equip, qualify, and support candidates who have a desire to plant churches in emerging communities. Your answers and responses on this form will be evaluated with this in mind and will be kept confidential. The people who will have access to this information will be limited to those who may have a role in evaluation and assessment, those who will be coaching your ministry, and others whom you authorize. 

The next steps in our process will include:

  1. Completion of pre-assessment packet items:
    • Application form
    • Criminal background check ( a link will be sent after the application has been received and acknowledged by our admin team).
    • Personalities test (Click here to begin. Please submit all results to churchplanting@granburybaptist.org)
    • Spiritual gifts survey (Click here to begin).
    • A couple's assessment will be sent pending the acceptance of the application (look for email from Greg Baxter pastorgbb@gmail.com).
    • Full length video of a sermon ( a link will be sent to upload your sermon after application has been received).
  2. An invitation to an assessment event where an assessors will evaluate six critical areas of the candidate’s life which will result in an assessment status of  "approval, approval with conditions, or not approved at this time". Critical areas to be evaluated are listed below:
    • Call and character
    • Leadership ability
    • Emotional and spiritual health
    • Preaching ability
    • Church planter/pastor’s wife experience
    • Strength of marriage. 
  3. Presentation of APEX approved church planters at a BBFI National meeting.
  4. Participation in a cohort led by APEX certified trainers at a church near your target area.
  5. Connection with an experienced church planter coach.
  6. Addition of candidate info to this website including endorsement for APEX financial support. 

Please be as clear as possible in your answers and responses to this form. Brevity is a virtue, but please use as much space as needed to give an accurate report. 

 

INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION
Date *
Date
Applicant's Name *
Applicant's Name
Phone *
Phone
Spouse's Name
Spouse's Name
Spouse Phone
Spouse Phone
Address *
Address
Birth Date *
Birth Date
Marital Status *
Are you a U.S. Citizen? *
EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
Business Address
Business Address
Phone
Phone
MINISTRY INFORMATION
Church Address
Church Address
Church Phone
Church Phone
PREVIOUS MINISTRY INFORMATION
Address
Address
Address
Address
MINISTRY SKILLS -EXPERIENCE
Indicate your view of your skills in the following areas, using a scale of 1-7 with 7 being high:
Administration
1. How would your rate your organizational skills?
2. How would you rate your ability to delegate?
3. How would you rate your ability to manage time?
4. How would you rate your ability to communicate clearly with the people you lead?
5. How would you rate your ability to think and plan strategically?
Leading
6. How would you rate your ability to cast vision of a preferred future for the group you're leading?
7. How would you rate your ability to set goals for a group of people?
8. How would you rate your ability to equip other people for ministry instead of doing it all by yourself?
9. How would you rate your ability to lead a small group
10. How would you rate your ability to lead an entire church?
11. How would you rate your ability to lead yourself in spiritual growth?
Shepherding
12. How would you rate your ability to counsel needy people?
13. How would you rate your ability to correct false doctrine?
14. How would you rate your ability to encourage people who are in special need?
15. How would you rate your ability to mentor emerging leaders?
16. How would you rate your ability to resolve conflict in your ministry team?
17. How would you rate your ability to teach the word of God in a church setting?
18. How would you rate your ability to conduct a wedding?
19. How would you rate your ability to conduct a funeral?
Disciple-making
20. How would you rate your ability to evangelize unbelievers?
21. How would you rate your ability to make close friendships with unbelievers?
22. How would you rate your ability to nurture new believers?
23. How would you rate your ability to conduct a baptism?
24. How would you rate your ability to conduct the Lord's Supper?
25. How would you rate your ability to facilitate a group discussion?
PERSONAL INFORMATION
EDUCATION INFORMATION
Please list the higher education institutions you have attended, degrees earned, and the major or focus of study for each. Attach transcripts from each institution.
Please list any formal training (seminars, courses, conferences) from which you have received help in the following areas:
Pastoral Qualification Information
This is a true saying, If a man desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior, given to hospitality, apt to teach; Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous; One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity; (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil. Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil. I Timothy 3:1-7
Based upon the above passage outlining the qualifications of a pastor, please answer the following.
LIFE ASSESSMENT
LOVE: How would you rate your ability to love other unconditionally? *
JOY: How would you rate your ability to be happy and joyful despite your circumstances? *
PEACE: How would you rate your ability to be calm under pressure? *
PATIENCE: How would you rate your ability to persist when circumstances or people disappoint you? *
KINDNESS: How would you rate your ability to be gentle and humble *
GOODNESS: How would you rate your ability to do what is morally and ethically right? *
FAITHFULNESS: How would you rate your ability to be loyal *
GENTLENESS: How would you rate your ability to treat people with compassion *
SELF-CONTROL: How would you rate your ability to be self-controlled and not manipulated by circumstances *
DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Characteristics of a Successful Church Planter
The questions below are based on the thirteen qualities that are considered to make up the profile of a successful church planter (according to Charles R. Ridley of Indiana University), Due to the unique ministry role of the church planter, it is important for us to know your answers to these questions. Be as brief and clear as possible but feel free to use an additional page for your responses.
References
Please give the names and email addresses for people who know you and your work and who will serve as references for you. These need to be people who can report to us about your employment, ministry, character, skills, communication, family relationships, etc. We will contact them after receiving permission from you to do so, and give them a form to use for their responses.
Reference 1
Name
Name
Reference 2
Name
Name
Reference 3
Name
Name
Reference 4
Name
Name
(Additional forms will be sent to you for signatures in order to complete these checks.)
I hereby certify that all of the information given in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge.
Signature *
Signature
Date *
Date
Please email us three pastoral recommendations who currently pastor churches in the BBFI