Church planting is essential to FEC’s heart, with a mission to “establish reproducing churches worldwide.” This is carried out through synergy groups, church-planting residencies, and an annual two-day event called Church Planters Assessment Center (CPAC). This year’s CPAC event took place in mid-January in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with three couples attending to learn more about their strengths, giftings, and potential for church planting.
Jared Mehrle, the Director of Church Multiplication at FEC led the event along with other FEC staff members, spending time in community with these candidates to “help them see their strengths and their growth areas and if church planting would be right for them.”
During CPAC, couples participate in group projects, Q & A with veteran church planters, and check-ins regarding their mental, spiritual, and marital health. Whether candidates receive a positive endorsement from FEC that enables them to take the next step or they conclude this isn’t the right fit or time, CPAC still provides time for reflection and even healing. One candidate entered the event believing a lie someone told him many years before, and the assessors were able to speak truth into his life, helping him find freedom from that burden.
Each candidate enters CPAC at a unique stage of his church-planting journey, so the team responds in kind. “There’s something special about this fellowship…the way we genuinely care about the heart of our planters,” says Jared. “I’m grateful to get to work in a fellowship that values that.”
