Hi again Sarah. Been thinking some more about your post...
1. I would say also that its important to realise that screening isn't a be-all and end-all means to exclude people. Its a means to ascertain where people are at within themselves so that, if necessary, we can look at some pastoral issues BEFORE they join the team. Screening usually only increases the period it should take for people to join, rather than excluding them once and for all.
2. We do have the freedom to fail, but we also have a responsibility to care pastorally not just for the potential team member but also for the rest of the team. We need to be careful that we screen applicants also because they may later have a negative effect on other team members...I feel we are called to explore new patterns of church, not "experiment" with new patterns of church. People shouldn't be experimented on, whether thats team members or potential church members.
3. If someone doesn't get through the screening process, it doesn't mean they can't join the church itself! But there is a difference between being a team member and being a member of the church. Not everyone joining the church being planted needs to go through screening! Folk who don't pass the screening (at that moment in time) could just join the church until they have healed and are ready, and then join the team and take on more responsibility for core leadership.
4. Interestingly, in John Hayes' book Submerge he talks about using personality profiles as standard (esp. Myers Briggs) for helping grow self-awareness in teams
5. I was curious to ask which one of these might have put your team member off? And for what reasons?
Just a couple of further points...
Hi again Sarah. Been thinking some more about your post...
1. I would say also that its important to realise that screening isn't a be-all and end-all means to exclude people. Its a means to ascertain where people are at within themselves so that, if necessary, we can look at some pastoral issues BEFORE they join the team. Screening usually only increases the period it should take for people to join, rather than excluding them once and for all.
2. We do have the freedom to fail, but we also have a responsibility to care pastorally not just for the potential team member but also for the rest of the team. We need to be careful that we screen applicants also because they may later have a negative effect on other team members...I feel we are called to explore new patterns of church, not "experiment" with new patterns of church. People shouldn't be experimented on, whether thats team members or potential church members.
3. If someone doesn't get through the screening process, it doesn't mean they can't join the church itself! But there is a difference between being a team member and being a member of the church. Not everyone joining the church being planted needs to go through screening! Folk who don't pass the screening (at that moment in time) could just join the church until they have healed and are ready, and then join the team and take on more responsibility for core leadership.
4. Interestingly, in John Hayes' book Submerge he talks about using personality profiles as standard (esp. Myers Briggs) for helping grow self-awareness in teams
5. I was curious to ask which one of these might have put your team member off? And for what reasons?