Ministry Assessment: Facilitator's Guide


Introduction

Facilitator Action Steps: Team Analysis Preparation:
Facilitator Action Steps: Goal Setting Session Preparation:

          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide

WELCOME participants.                   The Ministry Assessment Process                  



Purpose                                          



OPEN the session in prayer.             As a key player on your ministry team, you have  

                                        invested a significant amount of time, burden    

INTRODUCE yourself and background and   and energy to bring glory to God through your    

experience in ministry and Xenos.       team's efforts.  It is valuable on a regular     

                                        basis to take time out to size things up, let    

ASK participants to introduce           others know your results and plan for even more  

themselves.  Consider having them       effective ministry.  The Ministry Assessment     

include:                                Process has been developed for this purpose -    

  name                                  to help you and your team realize its greatest   

  team role                             value and effectiveness as a ministry of Xenos   

  years in the ministry                 Christian Fellowship.                            

  personal objectives for process       The Ministry Assessment Process is based on the  

  any other factor to develop rapport   principle modeled by the Apostle Paul in 1       

  and familiarity.                      Corinthians 9:26 where he emphasized the value   

                                        of applied wisdom in ministry:                   



"Therefore I run in such a way, as not without   

aim; I box in such a way as not beating the      

REVIEW overall objectives and positive  air."                                            

benefits of the Ministry Assessment     Objectives                                       

Process and focus participants on the   Every accredited Xenos ministry team will        

particular value to their team.         complete the Ministry Assessment Process to      

                                        achieve the following objectives:                

ASK one or more of the following        * Determine their accomplishments and future     

questions:                                advancement (re-chartering);                     

What other values or needs can you      * Reinforce their sense of ownership and         

see this process bringing to your team    stewardship of the ministry;                     

in particular?"                    * Promote the vision of unity among the variety  

                                          of ministries in Xenos; and                      

Why does it make sense for your team    * Help the Board of Elders, Management Team,     

to complete this process at this time     Fiscal Support Team and  other parties to make   

in particular?"                      well-informed decisions that will affect the     

                                          team.                                            

                                        Beyond these objectives, the Ministry            

                                        Assessment Process will bring your team these    

                                        additional positive benefits:                    

                                        * Increase teamwork through a clearer sense of   

                                          purpose;                                         

                                        * Heighten team effectiveness by setting         

                                          targets to track success;                        

                                        * Recognize and stimulate achievements of your   

                                          team members;                                    

                                        * Share the wealth of practical ideas with       

                                          similar ministries; and                          

                                        * Improve the operational effectiveness of your  

                                          ministry.                                        



                                        The following description outlines the design    

                                        of the Ministry Assessment Process and how you   

                                        will be involved.                                



          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide

Process Design                                   

PUT total process in perspective by     The Ministry Assessment Process is based on the  

explaining overall strategy and         premise that most effective ministry occurs      

structure of the process.               after two important things happen:               

                                        * SIZING-UP - focusing on what has been done and   

                                          what can be done; and                            

                                        * AIMING - charting the position or creating the   

                                          blueprint for what is to be accomplished.        



                                        The Ministry Assessment Process is a tool to     

                                        complete both of these.  Through individual      

                                        work, group discussions, and interaction with a  

                                        consultant, you and other members of your        

                                        ministry will both "size-up" and "aim" for       

                                        future actions.                                  

                                        It is important to understand that this process  

                                        is not something that happens to you.  The       

                                        Ministry Assessment Process is a tool you        

                                        utilize to further the ministry in which you     

                                        are involved.  Your active participation lays    

                                        an important foundation as you will see in the   

                                        overview that follows.                           

                                        The flowchart on the next page provides an       

                                        overview of the Ministry Assessment Process.     



          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide the six step process, asking  Process Overview                                 

for questions along the way.            The description below explains each step in the  

                                        Ministry Assessment Process in more detail.      

                                        Here's how it works:                             

Step One - Sizing-Up Through Team Analysis       

                                        To both reflect on what has been done and        

                                        provide a base of information for planning,      

                                        your team will perform a Team Analysis.  Team    

                                        Analysis involves sizing-up the internal         

Strengths and Weaknesses of your ministry as     

                                        well as identifying the external and environmental 

Opportunities and Threats that your team faces.  

                                         A facilitator can help you look at these        

                                        factors and then define the key issues which     

                                        summarize the most important findings you've     

                                        identified.                                      

Step Two - Aiming by Ministry Planning           

                                        Then, based on the issues from the Team          

                                        Analysis and a review of your team's mission     

                                        statement, you will develop a ministry plan to   

                                        aim your team's future efforts most              

                                        effectively.  As followers of a great God, we    

                                        have great visions of what He would have us do.  

                                         But often our vision dims when we aren't sure   

                                        if we are actually achieving our goals.  Many    

                                        times this results from a lack of effective      

                                        planning.  Through ministry planning, your team  

                                        will identify the practical means to achieve     

                                        what God has laid before you.  Again, a          

                                        facilitator is available to walk you through     

                                        this planning process.                           

Step Three - Reporting of Results                

                                        Next, the Senior Leader of your team will        

                                        summarize your team's findings in a written      

                                        outline and present this report to your          

                                        Department Director, Division Coordinator, and   

                                        other interested leaders.                        

                                        After these steps, the Department Director       

                                        and/or Division Coordinator supervising your     

                                        team will complete the Ministry Assessment       

                                        Process with the following:                      

Step Four                                        

 - Evaluation                                    

                                        Your team's Department Director will develop a   

                                        Ministry Assessment Abstract in consultation     

                                        with your team's Division Coordinator (if a      

                                        different person).  This abstract will condense  

                                        key points from the Senior Leader's              

                                        presentation (step three), observation of the    

                                        ministry team in action, and other information   

                                        gathered.  The Division Coordinator will         

                                        present this abstract to the elders.  Based on   

                                        this abstract, the Board of Elders will          

                                        determine the renewal of your team's charter.    



          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide

Step Five - Communication Strategy               

                                        For those teams approved for charter renewal, a  

                                        tactical communication strategy will be          

                                        developed.  This strategy will be geared to      

                                        build the vision of unity among the various      

                                        ministry teams, encourage the whole Xenos        

                                        community, and increase area-wide awareness of   

                                        Xenos' impact.  For most teams this will         

                                        include a notice in the Weekly Update as well    

                                        as a highlight at one of the monthly Servant     

                                        Team Meetings.  Additional communication plans   

                                        appropriate for the team at hand will be         

                                        devised to let others know the positive results  

                                        of the re-accredited ministry.                   

Next Step - Implementation                       

                                        After completion of the Ministry Assessment      

                                        Process and renewal of the charter, the team     

                                        will implement the ministry plan.  The           

                                        Department Director will schedule ongoing        

                                        interim meetings to review implementation of     

                                        the ministry plan.  The frequency of these       

                                        meetings will vary according to the team's       

                                        unique needs.  If a team identifies specific     

                                        development issues, a consultant with relevant   

                                        skills will partner with your Department         

                                        Director to help.                                

Participant Materials                            

                                        This guide has been developed to assist you in   

                                        the completion of the Ministry Assessment        

                                        Process.  It provides an overview of the         

                                        process as well as instructions for each step    

                                        so you can quickly grasp and easily apply the    

                                        process to your own team.                        

                                        Throughout the Ministry Assessment Process, you  

                                        will be asked to complete a variety of readings  

                                        and exercises in this guide, both individually   

                                        and as a group with other workers from your      

                                        team.  The guide first highlights each step in   

                                        the process and its value.  After reviewing the  

                                        explanation, you will be directed to actually    

                                        carry out the step for your own team.  Specific  

                                        prompts and worksheets are included to ease      

                                        completion.                                      



          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide

Maximizing the Results of Ministry Assessment   

Process                      

                                        As described earlier, the Ministry Assessment   

                                        Process requires involvement on your part.  You  

                                        can maximize the benefits from this process by  

                                        investing yourself heavily in the process,    

CLARIFY your role with the              especially the Team Analysis and Ministry 

participants.                           planning sessions.

                                        The way you work with your team members and    

Do                    Don't      your group facilitator will make all the     

offer ideas, insight    advocate ideas  difference in what you get out of the process.   

push for resolution     make their      The roles of your facilitator as well as your   

                        decisions       own responsibilities are described below:     

welcome consensus                                                                        

reiterate their process/decision        Your Facilitator's Role              

respect senior leader's agenda          You will most likely be completing your      

                                        Ministry Assessment Process with the guidance   

                                        of a facilitator.  Your facilitator's       

                                        responsibilities are as follows:         

                                        1. To be a resource in your completion of the  

                                           Ministry Assessment Process, not an expert in   

                                           your particular field of ministry.        

ASK participants for additional         2. To keep session discussions focused and on  

guidelines for working together:           the topic so that you can benefit from each    

Suggest they record these ideas in         other's input and progress through the process.  

their own guides.                       3. To guide your team's own assessment of its  

"What other points will be important       value and effectiveness, not determine your    

to keep in mind as you work together?"     team's merits and issues.             

                                        4. To start and end sessions on time.      



Your Role                     

                                        Your role in making the process work is      

                                        described below:                 

                                        1. Enter into the process and discussions    

                                           prayerfully and enthusiastically.         

                                        2. Confine your discussion to the topic at hand.

                                        3. Listen alertly and appreciate other      

                                           peoples' points of view.             

                                        4. Provide and receive constructive feedback   

                                           to ideas shared.                 

                                        5. Be willing to consider new ideas and break  

                                           old habits.                    

                                        6. Push for positive outcomes.          

Other key points for participation, unique to   

your team:                    

                                        _____________________________________________

                                        _____________________________________________                         

                                        _____________________________________________



          Group Process/Notes                         Participant's Guide

Senior Leader Action Steps:  Team Analysis       

Preparation                                      

                                        * Read Introduction section.                     

                                        * Read and become familiar with the Team         

                                          Analysis Grid in the Team Analysis section.      

                                          (pp. 1-8)                                        

                                        * Select members of your team to participate in  

                                          Team Analysis session.                           

                                        * Select and communicate the date, location and  

                                          time of the Team Analysis session to selected    

                                          team members.                                    

                                        * Contact the Facilitator and communicate the    

                                          date, location and time of the Team Analysis     

                                          session.                                         

                                        (Worker Guide's available from Ministry          

                                        Assessment Administrator at the Xenos office)    


Return to the Ministry Assessment page

Return to the Ministry Team page

Return to the Ministry Accreditation page

Return to the Equipping page

Return to the Xenos home page