Questions Every Church Should be Asking
After years of working with churches, as a staff member and as a consultant, I have seen repeated structures and practices from churches that are thriving. Here I will define a ‘thriving’ church as having at least the following: showing consistent growth in attendance and in people’s maturity in Christ, very engaged in their local communities through service and evangelism, and seeing numbers of people coming to Christ through their efforts. Based on the repeated structures and practices seen in thriving churches, I have created a list of questions every church should be asking themselves on a regular basis to help determine if they are intentionally working toward all that God has for them, in their own context and setting.
Ask yourself, and preferably with a group of leaders in your own church, if you can answer in the positive to each of these questions. Most thriving churches I have been a part of, consulted with, or seen from afar are able to do so.
Does my church bask everything we are doing, and everything we are thinking about doing, in prayer?
Does my church have a clear governance structure with each group or person having clear responsibilities, authority, expectations, and accountability (i.e. with eldership or board, deacons, senior staff, staff, volunteer leaders and volunteers, etc.)?
Are these groups from question 2 (however structured in your church) functioning well such that they would each say they are ‘healthy’ — relationally, mentally and spiritually?
Does my church have a mission statement, vision statement, core values and goals; and do we utilize them to make decisions and plan for the future — that is, do we really ‘live by them’?
Do our people understand and practice ‘relational evangelism’ so that they are actively reaching others for Christ?
Do we preach directly from the Word of God and give practical application to the lives of our people?
Does my church have good systems for follow-up with visitors and for helping attendees engage more with the church community and in ministry?
Does my church have small groups or activities in place that people can grow in community and be discipled (without overburdening the church’s or individual’s calendars)?
Do we have a clear and effective ‘pathway’ for discipleship and maturing our people in Christ? For all generations?
Are volunteers being developed as leaders and building their own teams/communities rather than utilized mostly to complete the ‘tasks’ of the ministry?
Do we have a leadership development program in place with a ‘leadership pipeline’ increasing?
Do we understand our financial situation and make decisions about money as good stewards of what God gives us?
Does my church have up-to-date, comprehensive policies and procedures that will protect and guide the church?
Do we have up-to-date social media platforms that represent our church well such that a ‘church shopper’ can get to know us well prior to walking through the doors?