How are you doing…really?

My senior pastor is one of those people that asks how you’re doing and really wants to know.

“How are you doing…really?”

Anyone ask how you’re doing like that?

How about asking how your ministry is doing…really?

How’s your ministry doing…really?

How would you answer that…today?

“It’s really doing great!”

“It’s booming!”

“It’s struggling”

“It’s so up and down.”

“It’s flatlining.”

Here’s some help in answering

Answering honestly requires integrity.

Answering intelligently requires evaluation.

In order to begin answering intelligently, an annual evaluation is in order. To evaluate in a way that is accurate requires some work gathering details.

It may also require an understanding of the motivation behind evaluation.

Try this hypothesis on for size:

In view of the parable of the talents (Matthew 25), we should be paying attention to results.

And it follows that we should be mindful of the connection between design and results. (Remember…”your ministry is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently experiencing”).

Finally, wise stewards will evaluate results on a regular basis to ensure their activities are continuing to produce the kind of results that will one day prompt “well done.”

What do you think about that?

Does it sound reasonable?

If that is a reasonable hypothesis…

If that is a reasonable hypothesis, doesn’t it make sense to run your ministry results through some kind of regular evaluation? After all, it seems pretty clear that we’ve each been entrusted with something “according to our ability” and the master is coming back and expect an accounting.

Right?

So…have you evaluated your results lately? How is your ministry going? Is it producing the results you are expecting? Or is it underperforming?

Do you find yourself explaining underperformance? Rationalizing less-than-expected (or promised) results? Setting reasonable goals that require no stretching?

A short primer on goal setting and evaluation

Goal setting requires establishing an accurate starting point. Establish a habit of taking an annual or semi-annual snapshot of important statistics (i.e., number of groups, number of adults connected, number of new groups, number of new people connected in groups, number of new groups that continue into the 2nd and 3rd study, number of coaches, etc.). See also, 10 Rules to Connect More People in 2018

An accurate starting point requires knowledge of percentage connected. The annual snapshot of important statistics must include recognition of the percentage connected (i.e., number connected divided by average adult weekend worship attendance). See also, What Does Your Percentage Connected Say About Your Ministry Design?

Determining the effectiveness of design requires quantitative evaluation. Since design is responsible for results, then results must be quantified and evaluated. Love a particular strategy or system? Comfortable with what you’ve become familiar with? Let the numbers confirm its effectiveness (or ineffectiveness).

Milestone progress should be acknowledged and celebrated. Every Small Group Connection, GroupLink, new semester, leader training event, coach development event, Host Gathering should be thought of as a milestone on the way to your preferred future. Anticipated attendance, new groups launched, new members connected, etc. should be acknowledged as lagging indicators (evidence that the design was either good, bad or ugly). See also, How to Reach Milestones (on the way to your preferred future)

The validity of proposed lead indicators should be evaluated and progress celebrated (sign-up cards completed, online registrations, reminder calls made, asks made during the message, website placement above the fold, etc.). See also, FAQ: What Should We Be Measuring (to build a thriving small group ministry)? and Are You Working on the Right Things (to build a thriving small group ministry)?

So…how are you doing…really?

Sometimes the most important thing to do at the beginning of any evaluation is to get a little guidance from a trusted advisor.

A one hour coaching call might be exactly what you need to get your evaluation started. Setting up a call is easy! And right now you can save 20% off my regular price for a one hour call. You can either Email Me or click here to find out more.

What would it be worth to get moving in the right direction?