Congregational Conditions Study

Ask the board and staff to complete the following exercise to determine where they perceive the congregation to be at this time. In each of the five categories below, mark exactly two statements that best describe current conditions in your church.

1. Commitment to Mission and Purpose (choose 2 only)
Positive, supportive attitude
Strong sense of mission and purpose among every member
High visibility and understanding of purpose and mission
Lowering of members’ understanding of purpose
Purpose lost
Uncertainty of future demands
Visionary leader with high commitment level
High level of goal ownership
Common purpose throughout ministries of the church
New members do not sense church’s purpose
Mission not understood

2. Involvement of Membership (choose 2 only)
Mutual dependency requires everyone to be involved, or leave
High percentage of individuals’ time and identity committed to the church
New members quickly find a place to become involved
Members assume there are enough others to do the job
Programs eliminated for lack of participation
All members willing to work
Volunteers easily found
High level of enthusiasm among membership for participation
More paid staff to “enhance” ministries
Difficult to find volunteers

3. Programs, Structures, and Organization (choose 2 only)
Minimal organization
Function of ministry determines form
New programs created to respond to new needs
Few, if any, new programs added
Programs deleted for lack of funds
Spontaneity in decision-making
Structure created in response to needs
Delegation begins
Forms of ministries begin to determine function
Primary goal is preservation/survival
Traditions begin to form
New roles and responsibilities created
Structure creates needs rather than responds to needs

4. Attitude Toward Change (choose 2 only)
Members are receptive
Changes easily adopted and integrated
New proposals given serious consideration
Few changes proposed
“We’ve never done it that way before”
Change is quickly accomplished
Suggested from all levels of membership
Church leaders responsible for initiating and implementing
Few changes considered that radically depart from status quo
Rationalizations often made for why it can’t be done
Ownership is unanimous

5. Morale and Self-Esteem (choose 2 only)
Morale is high
Morale is higher
Morale is highest
Morale polarizes into groups of high and low
Few have high morale
Self-esteem in the process of being formulated
Self-esteem easily affected by circumstances and short-term successes/failures
Self-esteem at its highest level
Self-esteem develops uncertainties
Frustration and/or despair by leaders in not knowing how to stop decline
Confidence is contagious that goals can be reached
Self-esteem lowers