Spiritual and Organizational Church Leadership Health Assessment
Understandably, the minister’s education and training focuses for the most part on developing biblical knowledge and spiritual leadership skills and attributes. Yet, within weeks, if not days, of arriving at their first job in the local church the minister learns they need another set of leadership skills and attributes……those of an organizational leader.
In Acts 6 we see this need was made evident to the disciples in the early and fragile days of the church when they were called upon to referee a food fight between the Grecian and Hebraic Jewish widows. The Twelve immediately learned if they were to focus on their calling and if their church was to be healthy they needed, among others, conflict resolution, delegation, motivation, prioritization, leader selection and development skills and systems.
The disciples knew what ministers often fail to acknowledge, if they didn’t practice effective organizational leadership their spiritual leadership would be compromised and the growth and health of the church stunted. Spiritual and organizational leadership are two sides of the same coin. Both are required to lead healthy and growing churches.
The following are a series of statements that reflect the inner spiritual and outer organizational leadership attributes of a biblically healthy and functioning church leader. Use this assessment to gauge the health and effectiveness of your spiritual and organizational church leadership.
Spiritual and Organizational Church Leadership Health Assessment
Based upon your understanding and perception of your personal leadership, for each statement share how much you agree or disagree with the statement using a five-point scale. If “5” on the scale means you strongly agree and “1” means you strongly disagree, where would you place yourself? Circle the number that best reflects your understanding.
Prayer is foundational and scripture is used as a guide to every action I take.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I demonstrate a transformed, authentic, vulnerable and spirit-filled life that builds trust with people.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I compassionately and joyfully serve, nurture, seek to understand, and listen to people.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I yield and defer for the sake of unity, the team, and the greater good.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I humbly and appropriately state my position and impart my authority, wisdom, skills, knowledge and expertise without belittling or intimidating.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I monitor, critique, discipline and hold accountable my people in love without judgement, manipulation, exploitation, coercion, threats or fear tactics.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have a clear sense of why God has placed me where I am.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have a clear and documented vision of where our church is going and how we are going to get there.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I make that vision clear to people and help them share the vision by showing them how to connect their work, purpose, dreams and passion to the vision.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I help people by putting them in roles they have the personality, gifts, talents, passion and calling for.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I make clear and document for people their job requirements, priorities and my expectations.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I empower people to fulfill their roles and responsibilities, without demanding perfection, overloading, controlling or micromanaging.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I know the workload and needs of my people and support them with the encouragement, training and resources they need to successfully fulfill their job duties, goals and responsibilities.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I share information with people on how what they are doing supports the mission and vision of the church.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
People tend to understand my expectations and know how to do the work I assign them.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have a documented process for letting people know how they are doing at regular intervals.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I avoid creating indispensable people by cross-training and identifying back-ups for every position.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I understand my leadership style, my personality profile, my hot buttons, and my strengths and weaknesses and communicate those to my people.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I understand the leadership styles, personality profiles, hot buttons, and strengths and weaknesses of my team and how they complement me and each other.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have a documented employee and volunteer recruiting process that considers the whole person: personality, gifts, talents, passions, experiences, potential, calling and commitment.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have a process in place for addressing staff and volunteer substandard performance promptly, fairly and biblically.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I know my top three job priorities for this year, for this month, for this week.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I know and have a plan to address my top three body, mind and spirit development priorities and initiatives for this year, for this month, for this week.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I delegate consistently and only after determining my priorities and identifying those activities that only I can do.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I favor effectiveness, doing the right things, over efficiency, doing things right, and leadership, transformational activities, over management, transactional activities.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
If I were required to suddenly cut my budget by 20% I know with clarity what expenses to cut in short order.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I know with clarity what objectives, goals, strategies and initiatives drive most of the results for my church and share these with my people at regular intervals.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have systems in place to measure the things that are most important to the church and I share those at regular intervals with my people.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I am zealous about protecting personal and organizational time for high priority activities and providing the human, financial and spiritual resources they require.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I model a balanced life and practice regular pruning, prioritization, disciplines and practices in the life areas of spiritual, family, social, job, financial, health and self-development.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I know the condition of my people and encourage and help them to live a balanced, disciplined and priority driven life as well.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
People know the values that shape our church’s culture, I consistently model those values and I promptly confront individuals who don’t align with those values.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have individual and church planning processes in place with supporting goals and measurements.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I help my people document and align their goals to the church’s goals.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have documented feedback and control systems in place that provide accountability and help me know if goals are being met.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have in place rewards and financial incentives for my people.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I possess change leadership skills and use them to proactively and successfully lead a process of continuous change.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
When making decisions I anticipate problems by examining potential unintended consequences.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I routinely, seek input, collaborate with and involve others in decision making.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
I have clear documentation of our church’s mission, vision, values, objectives, goals, measurements, policies, procedures, control systems, communication systems, financial systems, leader development systems and organization chart.
Strongly Disagree < 1 2 3 4 5 > Strongly Agree
Assessment Tabulation Grid
| Total of 1’s | Total of 2’s | Total of 3’s | Total of 4’s | Total of 5’s | Total |
Assessment Key:
1 – 50: Unhealthy and Dysfunctional Spiritual and Organizational Leadership That Impedes Personal and Church Success
51– 100: Spiritual and Organizational Leadership That Is More Miss Than Hit; Working Mostly Against Personal and Church Success
101 – 150: Spiritual and Organizational Leadership That Is Hit or Miss; Working Both For and Against Personal and Church Success
151 – 200: Healthy and Functioning Spiritual and Organizational Leadership That Encourages Personal and Church Success
Posted on November 3, 2015
