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International Graduate School of Leadership Church Health

Steve Hobson Assignment C Guide

Ministry Analysis I - Due _____

Analyze a ministry you know well (e.g., church, military ministry, campus, market place), especially one you

minister in. Use principles from the course text and course notes as covered so far. Follow the steps below. Some

questions are church specific so adapt these as you can. This assignment will be graded not so much on giving

"correct" answers nor echoing text/notes; but more on the effort in pursuing a) a perceptive, insightful, specific,

ministry assessment/evaluation; and b) an improvement plan using concepts from the course notes & textbook.

Your suggested changes should be specific, practical, usable, and reasonable.

Assessment/Evaluation

1. Brief Intro of the Ministry (1/2 to 1 page) - Name, location, organizational affiliation, name of senior

leader and other key leaders. Note the age of the ministry, large group meeting (worship) attendance, % men-

women-youth. What is the target group or target area of the ministry? Include any other aspects of the ministry

that are important to understand, possibly: organizational structure (how authority is expressed), key

personalities, important part of the history that relates to the current dynamics, philosophy of small groups,

mission/vision, values, etc..

2. Metaphor Assessment (1 1/2 pages: Identity - corporate culture values) - From your observations,

which if the six church metaphors do you think the ministry emphasizes? Which metaphors are ignored?

Why - how can you tell? (See the chart: Household of God, Holy Nation of God, Body of Christ, Bride of

Christ, Temple of the Holy Spirit, Vineyard of the Holy Spirit).

Considering the metaphor chart, evaluate: a) Is the ministry more task or people oriented? b) Organized or

spontaneous? c) Training or nurturing oriented? d) Upward, inward, outward? e) What changes need to be

made in the balance of the ministry?

3. Diagram and Evaluate the Ministry Infrastructure (2-3 pages) - Visualize how the existing group

meetings & structures of a ministry interrelate with each other.

DO NOT DRAW AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART!!

a. Draw the actual (not proposed) infrastructure using the symbols in the notes “The Church As A System

– An Organism,” and the example below. Show graphically from bottom to top how the ministries and

groups in the church relate to the 3 basic levels of ministry (Build - caring restoration, Train - practical

strengthening, Send - insightful equipping). Remember, the shapes used for the groups reflect their

primary function and are not simply random decorations!

>>> Use the shapes to show the function of the group.

b. Include insight into the workings of the groups, noting the content and purpose of the group as

reflecting the class discussions. How do they relate to the level of ministry? Note connections

between groups, especially as people mature and need greater challenges. How do them move from

group to group? Are there standards?

c. Then analyze/evaluate on the effectiveness of the church groups as a disciple making system. Is the

church winning people to Christ, building them (caring restoration), training them (practical

strengthening) and multiplying them (insightful equipping) into gift-related ministry?

>>> How can the church improve as a disciple making system? Give specific suggestions.

d. Use the following generic symbols/shapes as you draw the infrastructure to show the primary

function of each group. Label each shape/symbol to show the purpose of the group. See below:

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(Other symbols include the Leadership Community)

Covenant Group (smaller, high commitment, character

& skill development)

Administrative or task group (specify purpose/role)

This is usually not directly part of disciple making

system of groups.

Training group or class. Various sizes. (growth in

knowledge, some skills, usually limited duration)

May have prerequisites, closed after certain time.

Cell group – open or closed (usually under 15).

Specify purpose (evangelistic, follow up, discipleship?)

Special needs support group. Various sizes. Open. Not

a regular affinity group, but designed to meet needs of a

special subgroup (widows, single moms, substance abusers)

Bridging Event. Short term, need meeting. Can be for

evangelism, or for recruiting people to cell groups

Larger groups, celebration or affinity group Generally 15 + but depends more on how they function

(an affinity group like a women’s fellowship, if only 10

ladies is not a necessarily a cell group) Open.

Outreaches that meet people where they are & draw them

into the church as they become spiritually open

See next page for an example.

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3. Ministry Infrastructure (abbreviated example only, DO NOT not copy these words!!)

MINISTRY: _____________ (name)

INTRO – Located. . . This is a small church (40 adults) with worship service, Bible Studies, occasional training

class (4SL, FU, worship seminar) and Deacon Board. The “Prayer Chain” is largely a phone network but the ladies

also meet together for an occasional group prayer meeting.

c. Multiply/Send? (insightful equipping)

b. Train (practical strengthening)

Home BS Home BS Home BS Pastor’s

Cell Closed Cell Closed Cell Open

a. Build (caring restoration)

Evangel- Pastor’s Grp Win

istic Cell Open (outreach)

ANALYSIS:

Win: There is one Evangelistic Cell led by the pastor that is open and reaching out to new comers. It is ongoing.

The people come from . . . Regular attenders of the BS are encouraged and do invite friends from time to time. It is

very effective - with fun, warm hearted, & involves food/socials that open doors to friends. A couple attends

church, others not yet. Occasionally the church holds an evangelistic event (e.g., concert, movie),

but follow up is not clearly intentional, except by church folks who invited friends.

Build/Win: This church has a lively, Christ-centered, worship service with contemporary music. Preaching is Bible

centered and encouraging. The gospel is part of the preaching and occasionally people are offered the opportunity

to trust Christ as Savior. Names of those responding are not collected and there is no follow up plan for them.

Train: There are three other Home Bible Studies: two led by the pastor, one by a Deacon. Two of the BS have been

going for over 6 months and are now essentially closed. They are studying books of the Bible – knowledge

centered, little more. The groups are slowly growing in intimacy, but no skill training.

One of the BS’s led by the pastor is open, people are invited to come in. It is a 15 wk study on marriage for

young couples, targeting new young families coming to the church. New comers to church are being invited to

come along with regular members. People can come into the group at any time, so it should stay open.

The Training Classes are offered when an outside ministry offers them (Campus Crusade or IGSL ministry week

team). Announcement is made in worship service and people are invited to come. No intentional recruiting. People

come and don’t apply much. No reinforcement in Bible Studies or church. Pastor does not attend them. The Pastor

is not doing personal discipling/mentoring in a one-on-one or small group for leadership development.

The Deacon Bd meetings are only for church policy, direction issues. No training. Deacons are not much involved.

SUGGESTIONS: [this wld be expanded] There are missing elements in the system that can be addressed by the

pastor and leaders. Win: Follow up from events/worship is missing (contact info, people trained, etc); Build: Home

BS of pastor is effective for low level training; faithful people should be recruited for training classes. All home

BSs need balanced training and end dates so as to start afresh and reopen – or people in BS trained to start new BS

for new people. Train: Pastor/Deacons should get training to run training classes regularly (disciplemaking topics:

follow up, leading discipleship groups, spiritual gifts, etc), then recruit growing disciples & train them to help with

follow up. Multiply: Pastor develops Deacons & other emerging leaders in high commitment, character/skill

oriented mentoring one-on-one or in small covenant group. They contribute to the system by teaching training

classes, helping encourage people’s growth, and leading affinity groups outreach like the pastor’s evangelistic cell.

Occasional

Training Classes

Prayer

Chain

Evangelism Event

Celebration – Worship

Deacon

Board