Ministry Evaluation Detail

The idea of having someone evaluate you as a leader and pastor or evaluate the ministry of your church can be frightening and intimidating. Who in their right mind would invite personal or ministry critique? Some would argue that we should not evaluate the church or its people because it is a spiritual, not a secular, undertaking. Only God should appraise a spiritual ministry such as a church. I would argue that we must not allow fear and personal feelings of intimidation to get in the way of honest, objective feedback. That a ministry is a spiritual endeavor is more an argument for than against healthy critique.

Far too many churches have offered up ministry mediocrity under the guise of "it's a spiritual undertaking for God." Scripture encourages God's people to give and do their best for him. Israel was to bring their best animals for sacrifice (Lev. 22:20–22; Num. 18:29–30). When they did not bring the best, it was an indication that their hearts had wandered from God (Mal. 1:6–8). In Ephesians 6:5–8 and Colossians 3:23–24, Paul teaches that God expects us to give only our best in our work. We are to do our work as if we are working for God. When Jesus turned the water into wine at Cana, it was the best, not mediocre, wine (John 2:10). If God gave his best for us when he gave his Son, (John 3:16), how can we not give our best for him?

Even if a church doesn't invite critique, it takes place. It takes place every Sunday on an informal level. People are very discriminating. On the way home from church, a husband naturally asks his wife, "What did you think about the sermon?" Or, "Do you like the new Sunday school class?" Some go so far as to have roast pastor or roast church for Sunday lunch. Seeker church pastors are quick to remind us that when lost people visit our services, they do so with a critical eye. If ministry evaluation takes place on an informal level, why not move it to a formal level so that we can benefit from it rather than be a victim of it?

Every leader should ask, Am I evaluating my ministry effectiveness and do we evaluate the effectiveness of the church? Personal ministry and church ministry appraisal are necessary to refine any work for God. When you avoid honest, objective assessment, you are opting for comfort over courage and ministry mediocrity over meaningful ministry.

Evaluation is not foreign to the Scriptures. While no examples exist in the New Testament of a church passing out some kind of performance appraisal, that does not mean that they did not appraise their people and ministries, nor does it mean that we do not have the freedom to do so.

In 1 Timothy 3:1-13, Paul gives the qualifications for deacons and elders. That means that some kind of evaluation was made or such qualifications would not have made sense. In 1 Corinthians 11:28, Paul preached healthy self-examination to the members of the church at Corinth. He encouraged them to examine themselves before taking the Lord's Supper. This would result in the proper proclaiming of the Lord's death (v. 26) and preclude judgment (w. 29–32). Again, in 2 Corinthians 13:5–6, he tells the people of the church to examine and test themselves to see whether they are in the faith. To fail such a test would have been a calamity. But he seems to indicate that not to test oneself would be an even greater calamity. Just as an unwillingness to measure one's spiritual condition makes spiritual growth nearly impossible, so failure to measure a church's effectiveness makes its growth nearly impossible.

Performance appraisal is the final step in the strategic thinking and acting process. It assumes that the church has analyzed its ministry, discovered its core values, and developed a mission. It regularly scans its environment, has developed a vision and strategy, is implementing the strategy, and is prepared for contingencies. With these in place, the ministry seeks to answer the fundamental question, How are we doing? Without valid critique, the ministry, as well as the process, is quick to go to seed.

The Purposes of Evaluation

In spite of what I have said above, not everyone is convinced of the need for personal and ministry appraisal. Those who are convinced of the need should have a rationale for careful, objective feedback. The purposes of evaluation demonstrate the need. No fewer than six purposes of evaluation exist.

Evaluation Accomplishes Ministry Alignment
As we have seen, the values, mission, and vision statements of a church are very important, and many leaders will be tempted to spend too much time drafting and redrafting them. It is critical to the organization that they move on to aligning their ministry with the values, mission, and vision. There is a wide gap between a ministry that has drafted statements of values, mission, and vision and a ministry that is visionary and mission directed—accomplishing alignment bridges the gap, preserving the ministry's core values, reinforcing its vision, and catalyzing constant movement toward the mission.

 

To accomplish alignment, we must first discover what is out of alignment, and this involves evaluation. Leaders and their people look around the church, talk to other people, gain feedback, and critique what is taking place. A sample evaluative question is, If this is our mission as a church, what are the obstacles that are in the way of accomplishing this mission? Where are we out of alignment?

Evaluation Prioritizes Ministry Accomplishment
I referred earlier to the saying in some ministry circles—what gets evaluated gets done. We evaluate some things and do not evaluate others. What we choose to evaluate sends a message to our people. It says this is important; whereas, something else is not important or not as important. For example, if every Sunday several people in the congregation evaluate the worship service and the sermon, this signals to those involved—the worship team and the pastor—that these are high-priority areas of ministry. The result is that the worship team focuses on the worship service, making it the best it can be.

Evaluation Encourages Ministry Assessment
A third purpose for appraisal is ministry assessment. People need to know the answer to the question, How am I doing? It is not unusual for a person to spend a year or more in ministry, thinking that all is at least okay or even good, only to discover, when he or she is abruptly dismissed, that it was not good. This is unfair to that person. He or she needs an early-warning system.

Some churches respond to poor job performance in another way. They simply refuse to deal with individuals who do not have the abilities to do their job, who constantly show poor work habits, or who may be abusive. These churches feel that they are being nice to these people, or they feel sorry for them, or they worry about what others will think if they dismiss them. The problem with this thinking and practice is that it makes everyone else's job more difficult. Others have to pick up the slack, or, in some cases, take unnecessary abuse. Long-term bending over backwards for and coddling this kind of worker weakens, frustrates, and diminishes the entire organization.

A fair approach in every employment situation is regular ministry appraisal when a supervisor or mentor identifies problems and deficiencies as well as strengths. When this is done, the person knows where the problems lie and what he or she must do to improve. These areas are reviewed again at the next appraisal. If no progress is made or can be made, the church has proper grounds for dismissal, for discipline, or for shifting the individual to another ministry within the church.

Evaluation Coaxes Ministry Affirmation
In my experience as pastor of three churches and as interim preacher in numerous churches across several different denominations, I have learned that the people who make up the average church tend not to affirm those who are serving them well, whether on a pastoral or lay level. They appreciate excellence in ministry but are slow to affirm those who achieve it. I believe that they assume the individuals who serve well are aware of their accomplishments and the impact they are having. However, this is usually not the case. Proverbs 16:24 says, "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones," Who does not look forward to the day when the Savior will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant"?

How can we regularly affirm those in our churches who minister well? The answer is regular evaluation. Most turn up their nose at evaluation because it frightens and even intimidates them. However, identifying problems is only one side of evaluation. The other side is affirmation. If we evaluate workers several times a year, then even when no one else affirms them, they will receive needed, valued affirmation during those times.

Evaluation Emboldens Ministry Correction
Affirmation is one side of the appraisal coin; correction is the other. The word sounds ominous and conjures up images of difficult times, times of discipline and chastisement. Some hear the word correction and envision a harsh father with a strap in his hand. While correction frightens most of us, it is a much needed but most often neglected aspect of leadership and pastoral ministry. No one wants to do the correcting or chastising or be the object of them, but in a fallen world it has become a necessary fact of life. Scripture teaches that God corrects and even disciplines us for our good (Heb. 12:10).

When assessment takes place, we discover that all of us have areas that need correction. We have blind spots. They are things we may not perceive as problems but they hamper our ministry efforts. These could include a distracting mannerism, tone of voice, or gesture that detracts from a pastors message; an annoying sense of humor; or inappropriate clothing for the job. Most people can correct these after they are made aware of them, but it will not happen unless some kind of appraisal system is in place to call attention to the problem.

Correction is also needed when the sinful nature, as Paul calls it in Galatians 5:16–21, is allowed to dominate. The acts of the sinful nature indicate that one is not being led by the Spirit (vv 17–18). This happens far too often in ministry. How do leaders know when the sinful nature predominates in their life? Hopefully someone will confront them. This is not likely to happen, however, unless a regular performance-appraisal system provides the opportunity to surface and deal with the problem.

Evaluation Elicits Ministry Improvement
Inviting and accepting critique is difficult, but the result can and must be learning that leads to improvement. Obtaining objective feedback from someone who is more experienced and qualified in our area of ministry is invaluable for those who desire to be the best at what they do for the Savior.

As hard as it is to hear, we desperately need people in our life who will bravely and honestly tell us when something is not working. This is how we get better at what we do. If we choose to immerse ourselves in a comfortable, nonconfrontive ministry cocoon, we will likely create ministry that is much less than it could be for Christ. We need people—hopefully but not necessarily loving people—who provide an objective, informed perspective of what we are attempting for Christ.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of good ministry appraisal. The benefits far outweigh the disadvantages. However, some liabilities do exist, and you must watch for these. First, evaluation has the potential to terrify volunteers, especially those in up-front positions. The thought that someone is critiquing them is often unnerving. Second, in situations where you ask someone to evaluate you, you are giving that person a certain amount of authority over you—be careful whom you choose. Third, too much evaluation can create an environment of constant criticism in the church. Ask, have we become more critical in a negative sense than we were before we started the evaluation process? Fourth, an overemphasis on assessment can destroy enthusiasm, creativity, and spontaneity in the ministry.

 

From Advanced Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs. Used by permission of Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

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