Ministry Assessment: Participant's Guide

Your Purpose

As a key player on your ministry team, you have invested a significant amount of time, burden and energy to bring glory to God through your team's efforts. It is valuable on a regular basis to take time out to size things up, let others know your results and plan for even more effective ministry. The Ministry Assessment Process has been developed for this purpose - to help you and your team realize its greatest value and effectiveness as a ministry of Xenos Christian Fellowship.

The Ministry Assessment Process is based on the principle modeled by the Apostle Paul in
1 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 air."

Objectives

Every accredited Xenos ministry team will complete the Ministry Assessment Process to achieve the following objectives:

Determine their accomplishments and future advancement (re-chartering);
Reinforce their sense of ownership and stewardship of the ministry;
Promote the vision of unity among the variety of ministries in Xenos; and
Help the Board of Elders, Management Team, Fiscal Support Team and
other parties to make 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.

Process Design

The Ministry Assessment Process is based on the premise that most effective ministry occurs 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.

Process Overview

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.

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 facilitator 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.

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, especially the Team Analysis and Goal Setting Session.

The way you work with your team members and your group facilitator will make all the difference in what you get out of the process. The roles of your facilitator as well as your own responsibilities are described below:

Your Facilitator's Role

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.

2. To keep session discussions focused and on the topic so that you can benefit from
each other's input and progress through the process.

3. To guide your team's own assessment of its value and effectiveness, not
determine your 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:

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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 is available from Ministry Assessment Administrator at the Xenos office)