International Graduate School of Leadership

Steve Hobson

Church Health
Assignment Guide F

Ministry Analysis II - Due _____

This assignment builds on the work you did in Ministry Analysis I. Evaluate/analyze the same ministry. Use principles
from the course text and notes. 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 realistic, specific, and practical.
Note the two step process below - first assessment/evaluation, then improvement plan. The idea is to complete the
evaluation of the pieces, then build the improvement plan so all the pieces work together.
EVALUATION

(Please use the headings below when you write your paper, and follow this guide.)

1. System Evaluation (1 to 1 1/2 pages)

If your ministry is a church:
a.) Which of the primary systems (traditional, cell, meta-church) is most like your church? Explain, relating the
system to the church infrastructure. If it is a blend, describe. Evaluate/explain how well your church is utilizing the
usual strengths of this system, and how the usual weaknesses of this system are hurting the church. (See session 7 &
8, page 4, the section headings are "People at Work - Church Systems" and "Evaluating Church Systems." You
should have also received a handout with an evaluation of the three basic church systems filled in.)
b.) Which leadership structure (governance) is most like the one in your church (Minml, episcopal, presbytrn, elder,
congreg)? Explain. If a blend, describe. How has this structure impacted the leadership style of church leaders?
How well are this leadership structure and the styles of the leaders working? Explain. (See session 7 & 8, page 3).
OR If your ministry is a para-church:
a.) Which of the primary church/para-church relationship models is practiced by your ministry? If a blend, describe.
Evaluate how this approach has impacted your relationship with churches in your area. Which model is most
prominent in the major churches in your area? How has this impacted your ministry? Explain. (See session 9 & 10
page 2, under the heading "Various Models Show How . . .")
b.) Describe the leadership style(s) of the top leaders in your ministry. Evaluate the impact of the style(s) on the
ministry. How well is/are the leadership style(s) working? Explain. (See session 9 & 10 page 4. More people or
task? More authoritative or participatory? Look at the "Lessons" on page 4 for ideas).
2. Evaluate the Core Functions (2-3 pgs) (See Session 3&4, page 3-4 WELCOMES, developed in Sessions 11-18)
Give each Core Function of your ministry a grade . . . . A B C D Which are the 2 strongest? Why? Which the 2
weakest? Why? How do your evaluations in #1 above relate to this evaluation? Which functions God is calling your
ministry to emphasize? (Do not try to discuss each core function in depth. Some won't apply to para-church ministries.)
3. Evaluate the "Life-Systems" (textbook) (1/2 pg) The textbook offers a parallel way of looking at ministry
through ten life-giving systems. [From the perspective of terminology in the course notes, these are sub-systems that focus
on growth processes interrelated to the overall ministry system.] Draw selectively from the text book to evaluate relevant
aspects of your ministry. Briefly, what can you affirm as 2 life-system strengths & 2 weaknesses and why?
Do not repeat topics from questions in #2 above.
IMPROVEMENT PLAN (2-3 pgs total) (seek to find interrelationships between the systems/functions/process below)
4. Ministry System - How can the leadership issues (if any) be addressed so that the ministry is strengthened,
especially improving the core disciple-making (people-flow) system?
5. Weak core Functions - How can the two weakest core functions be addressed? (Possibly already strong functions
might be used to strengthen the weaker functions.) Draw from class material, reading, and other helpful sources
proposing how to address the ministrys needs. The more you draw in class materials and readings, the better! And
think in specifics (to this actual ministry), not generalities. Be realistic, specific, and practical.
6. "Life systems" as growth Processes (See #3 above) Briefly, how can weak "life-systems" [growth processes] be
improved to enhance the ministry? (Possibly the 2 strongest life-systems might be used to address the 2 weakest.)