How do you measure the health of your church? That question can leave your mind spinning. In fact, for many pastors, it’s a controversial question. Some leaders get hung up on the word “measure.” The church is spiritual, so how can you measure spirituality? Other pastors get hung up on “health.” Their strategy is to count, and if the numbers are up, they assume health must also be up. 

Believe it or not, there really are ways to measure the health of your church. A holistic approach can yield meaningful metrics so you can take steps toward improvement.

In this edition of Make It Count, we’re going to unpack eight ways to get a pulse on the health and success of a church. Those eight measurements include the following:

Believe it or not, there really are ways to measure the health of your church.

• Communities: Whom Are We Reaching?
• Stories: Are Lives Being Changed?
• Disciples: Are We Developing Fully Devoted Followers of Christ?
• Spirit Baptisms: Are People Being Empowered by the Spirit?
• Leaders: Are We Equipping Volunteers and Leaders?
• Service: Are People Outward Focused?
• Growth: Are Our Numbers and Percentages Growing?
• Culture: Is Our Environment Healthy?

As you read these lessons and discuss them with your team, I believe you’ll become better equipped to help the church grow in health. This is not an overnight process, and some of the application will require hard work. It’s also going to require some thick skin, as well as a willingness to engage in candid conversations. But the results will be worth it.

This eight-week study, which appears in the January/February 2020 issue of Influence magazine, is now available online as a free download. Church leaders can print multiple complimentary copies of this resource and use it to promote development, spark discussion and inspire vision among team members.

The online resource also includes a fill-in-the-blank guide for team members to use as they follow along with the studies.

Adapted from the January/February 2020 edition of Influence magazine.