Reproducing leaders and artists is what we do at COMMUNITY, and our process is summed up in five easy steps:
- I do, you watch, we talk.
- I do, you help, we talk.
- You do, I help, we talk.
- You do, I watch, we talk.
- You do, someone else watches, you talk, etc.
But for those who are gifted to teach, and have a desire to teach in COMMUNITY weekend services, the process is more formal. Any volunteer teaching pastor must meet all COMMUNITY Leadership Expectations. Our candidates must not just have spiritual velocity, but must be living out each expectation, including connecting in a small group, serving as a leader of a ministry, have made a public declaration to follow Christ through baptism, with a solid track record of tithing and giving generously.
As a campus pastor seeking to recruit volunteer teachers, it is important to avoid over-promising to any candidate. ICNU conversations are great, and work in lots of situations, but we are outlining a step-by-step process for vetting teachers that allows for growth and confidence over time, without the overt promise of a “teaching pastor” role at COMMUNITY. See the steps below.
Community Pastor sees a teaching gift in a candidate and gives numerous opportunities to that person to perform the Welcome, Communion and GBTG moments from stage. If that candidate can indeed communicate well, then proceed to step two.
Community Pastor gives candidate opportunities to teach prepared content (material they are interpreting, not writing) during a Leadership Community Skill, a Baptism Class, Lifemap or Financial Peace University. Additional opportunities in this category can be found in StuCo Celebration Services, Support and Recovery ministries, as well as Mens and Womens Ministry Events. Some of these opportunities might flow into preparing and shaping their own content over time. If the candidate is successful, communicates well, and is affirmed by those who experience their teaching, then proceed to step three.
Community Pastor believes the candidate has what it takes to teach at an adult Celebration Service, and is ready for the ICNU conversation. In your conversation, do not over-promise. Instead try something like, “You really seem to have a communication/teaching gift. I wonder if you’d be interested in honing that gift even further by teaching in front of me, a few of our staff team and a video camera. We’d give you the Big Idea manuscript, you’d have time to prepare and then we’ll pick a day to capture it on video. The process is great and has really helped me become a better communicator.”
You may give the candidate any Big Idea manuscript for this video session. If they make it to the “formal” assessment, they will be required to present one of the “Approved Manuscripts for Teaching Assessments.” They can teach the same message for Step 3 and the formal Teaching Assessment or two different messages. Your choice!
If they do great, and you still think this person meets all leadership expectations, and you’d like them to be a communicator at your location, then proceed to Step Four. (If they did not do great, and the video that you have is not ready for prime time, then this is your opportunity to choose to develop thru coaching, resulting in a re-filming, or allow for step three to be the last step for this volunteer, who can then be celebrated as a qualified host for your location, but not a teacher.)
Submit your candidate’s video to our Creative Catalyst for review using the form below. If the Creative Catalyst agrees that this candidate has potential, they will be invited to the next “formal” Teaching Assessment where they will teach 1 of 10 available prescribed Big Idea Messages before a team of assessors (teaching assessment opportunities are designed to occur twice per year). If the assessors agree that this candidate is ready to teach during a weekend service, the Community Pastor will be informed and can begin using that candidate accordingly.
Use one of the 10 “Approved Messages for Teaching Assessments” for the formal Teaching Assessment. Failure to do so will disqualify the candidate at the assessment.
Share this link with your candidate, or download a message below and send it to them:
Ancient Practices – Sabbath (Week 2)
Big Idea: The practice of Sabbath (rest) is given to us by God so we may learn to rely more on Him than on us, and so we may be refreshed and energized for the days we work hard to produce.
Scripture: Genesis 2:2-3, Exodus 20
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Circles – Expanding Circles (Week 3)
Big Idea: The Jesus Mission calls every one of us to be intentional about reaching out to include others in our circles.
Scripture: Acts 10:1-48, Genesis 12:1-3
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Lies We Believe – Possession Lies (Week 2)
Big Idea: I am loved and valued for who I am, not what I have.
Scripture: Luke 4:1-2, 5-8; Luke 12:15
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Masterpiece – I Am God’s Masterpiece (Week 1)
Big Idea: It is God who gives us our identity. We do not earn it. It is a gift of God that no one can take away from us.
Scripture: Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:1-10
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Moving Mountains – Mountain Moving Prayer (Week 1)
Big Idea: Prayer has the power to move mountains.
Scripture: Matthew 17:14-20, Mark 9:29, 1 John 5:14-15, Luke 22:42
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Turn the Page – Rebellion to Relationship (Week 1)
Big Idea: Turn the Page” by coming back to God and committing yourself to live in relationship with him.
Scripture: Genesis 3:1-24
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Turn the Page – Fear to Faith (Week 4)
Big Idea: “Turn the Page” by letting go of fear and stepping out to do what God wants to do through you.
Scripture: Exodus 3-4:17, John 14:16-20, Ephesians 3:16-21
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Explore God – Is Christianity Too Narrow? (Week 4)
Big Idea: God provided a way for everyone to find their way back to him. Most religions boil down to humanity trying to reach God, but Christianity is about God reaching humanity.
Scripture: John 14:6, Acts 4:8-12, Luke 15:11-32
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Open – The God Who Empowers (Week 3)
Big Idea: When we are open to the Spirit, we will be empowered to do even greater things than Jesus did.
Scripture: Matthew 12:22-28, John 14:8-14, Acts 2:1-4, Ephesians 1:17-21
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Making Memories – Healing Memories (Week 2)
Big Idea: Forgiveness is the path to healing memories.
Scripture: Exodus 20:4-6, Isaiah 43:19, Romans 8:28
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