1. Working Titles
1.1. “The necessity for church planter assessment to consider the impact of moderating, mediating and confounding variables on church planting behaviors and outcomes.”
1.2. “What confounding variables (in church planting research) reveal about the idealized church planter type: reconsidering the biblical metaphor of shepherd leadership.”
1.3. “Critiquing the idealized church planter type in light of evangelical models of contextualization and the impact of the confounding variables seen in church planting research: reconsidering the biblical metaphor of shepherd leadership.”
2. Chapter 1
2.1. Introduction
2.1.1. Statement of Thesis
2.1.1.1. Because the complex, cyclical and holistic nature of the contextualization process (of church planting), church planting assessment must consider the impact of moderating, mediating and confounding variables on church planting behaviors and outcomes. Furthermore, the conclusion of this study helps to recover the significance of the shepherd leadership metaphor for church planting.
2.1.2. Looking for Unicorns: the Level Five Multiplying Church Planter
2.1.2.1. An idealized planter-type for potential church planting candidates has developed. This idealized type is often described as being: apostlic, able to cast vision/vision caster, evangelistic, entrepreneurial, able to multiply leaders/multiplier. These have frequently been set in contrast with types described as shepherding or nurturing. The support behind this description of the necessary type is that these are the types of planters who start churches that create concrete differences and facilitate measurable results.
2.1.2.2. Expectations for success