Here is a tool to help you assess your church's health. For each question, have your congregation and leaders be open and honest and be in prayer. Consider giving copies to the leaders first, then to the rest of the church. Do not answer these questions unless you want to seek God's Will and make God's changes! You may designate the numbers between one and five for answering the questions, having one as the worst, and five as the best that could be.

       As you go over this survey, remember that when people visit your church they consciously or unconsciously rate everything in your church within the first few minutes of their first visit. It might be a good idea to use this survey from the perspective of a first time visitor.

However you choose to use this survey, do it honestly! Incidentally, this is Scriptural. Just read how God rates His churches in Revelation 1-3! 

1.  Is the teaching of God's Word clear and uncompromising?

            1  2  3  4  5 

2.   Is the Word of God seen as the foundation of authority and guidance?

            1  2  3  4  5 

3.   Is corporate and individual prayer saturating the life and programs of the church (Praise, adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and intercession), and is it being modeled by the leaders and practiced in public?

            1  2  3  4  5 

4.   Does the pastor try to go beyond prejudices, presumptions, and traditions to Biblical truth?

            1  2  3  4  5 

5.   Do the worship celebrations inspire real heart felt praise? 

            1  2  3  4  5 

6.   Do the music and sermons glorify Christ, or is it for show? (The emphasis needs to be on content rather than style. The cross and work of Christ has to be the focus with a strong reverence for God and His Holiness.)

            1  2  3  4  5 

7.   Do the worship and preaching present a positive gospel message that people can understand?

            1  2  3  4  5 

8.   Do the worship and preaching leave the people with something to help them face the week ahead?

            1  2  3  4  5 

9.   Are the sins of gossip, pride, and hypocrisy faced and put down? Or, are they left alone to die out? (When sin is left alone it never dies out, it grows!)

            1  2  3  4  5 

10. Is there confession of sin, openly practiced?

            1  2  3  4  5 

11. Is there a place to confess sin to a pastor in an appropriate way that is safe and confidential?

            1  2  3  4  5 

12. Is there an emphasis on grace and forgiveness in the preaching?

            1  2  3  4  5 

13. Is there an emphasis on grace and forgiveness in the way the staff and leadership operate?

            1  2  3  4  5 

14. Is there a clear and communicated purpose for the church and a vision that is Biblical and known by everyone who is a member?

            1  2  3  4  5 

15. Are Bible studies developing where new people are welcomed?

            1  2  3  4  5 

16. Are small groups growing where new people are welcomed?

            1  2  3  4  5   

17. Do the classes for children and youth as well as fellowships have the Bible as the center of their curriculum?

            1  2  3 4  5 

18. Do the adult classes and small groups have the Bible as the center of their curriculum?

            1  2  3  4 5 

19. Are the leaders listening to the needs of the church?

            1  2  3  4  5 

20. Are the leaders listening to the needs of the community?

            1  2  3  4 5 

21. Are the leaders elected on character first and giftedness second, or because they are successful in business and have money and influence?

            1  2  3  4  5 

22. Do you train and develop your leaders? Or do you just assume when one gets to the office of leadership, one should know what to do? 

            1  2  3  4  5 

23. Do your leaders hold themselves responsible for current or past wrongs, whether or not they were involved?

            1  2  3 4  5 

24. Do the leaders take their responsibilities seriously?

            1  2  3  4  5 

25. Do the leaders practice accountability and exercise integrity?

            1  2  3  4  5 

26. Is the leadership focused with programming that is fulfilling a real purpose rather than "We have always done it that way?" (the seven words of death for a church!)

            1  2  3  4  5 

27. Is there a balance between evangelism and discipleship?  (Spiritual maturity is more important than numerical growth!)

            1  2  3  4  5 

28. Are people being added to the church by conversion or from other churches?

            1  2  3  4  5 

29. Is discipleship a principle program in the church to bring individuals to maturity?

            1  2  3  4  5 

30. Is there a clear understanding of the roles of the pastor, the board, the staff, the congregation, and the denomination?

            1  2  3  4  5 

31. Are doctrine and spiritual formation solid and Biblical, or based on whatever the new trends are?

            1  2  3 4  5  

32. Do you sense the presence of God? Is the overall atmosphere of the church, from worship to care, promoting people to become mature and get excited about their faith?

            1  2  3  4  5 

33. Does the church really reach out to people who visit, and are they treated as guests and made to feel comfortable?

            1  2  3  4  5 

34. Do people linger after a service in order to visit? 

            1  2  3  4  5 

35. Do people in the church get together for social reasons outside of church functions?

            1  2  3  4  5 

36. Does the church leadership have a clear way to handle problems and conflict?

            1  2  3  4  5 

37. Does the church really reach out to people in the community?

            1  2  3  4  5 

38. How do your neighbors see your church? In other words, are you having a positive impact on your neighborhood and city?

            1  2  3  4  5 

39. Does your church strive to make a difference in your community?

            1  2  3  4  5 

40. Are missions a priority?

            1  2  3  4  5 

41. Is there a system where people are led into a class or small group? Are they known and used?

            1  2  3  4  5 

42. Does your church have a good structure for finances and wise administration?

            1  2  3  4  5 

43. Do you feel a sense of community? Despite personal differences, is there a strong sense of unity and family?

            1  2  3  4 5

44. Do you have understandable terminology and language everyone is using in the church from the pulpit to the classroom?

            1  2  3  4  5 

45. It this church others-centered or self-centered?

            1  2  3  4  5 

46. Does your church practice redemptive love that teaches that Christ redeems and accepts His people, and we should accept them in love?

            1  2  3  4  5 

47. Is there a system to manage conflict (Matt. 18:15-18) with the emphasis to help free people who are ensnared with pride and sin, with the goal of restoring them?

            1  2  3  4  5 

48. Does your church network and work in harmony with other churches for a common goal? Do you share your resources with other local congregations?

            1  2  3  4  5  

49. Is there good accessibility and clear signs of where things are and where to go?

            1  2  3  4  5 

50. Does your church participate with your denomination?

            1  2  3  4  5                

Please total your circled numbers for all of the 50 categories _____________.

 250-200: You have a very healthy church, please write in, and let us know!!

We have two methods for Scoring:   

1.   To score this survey, compile your results and as a leadership team go down the list to get a feel or atmosphere of the results. Then, write out where you are, and where you need to be. Then, come up with a method to take each category and strategize how to make it better. You cannot do it all at once, so take baby steps and keep going, and be positive. The top 100 churches will fail at some of these, and the average church in America will score below 100, if the survey is done honestly! There is no perfect church until He comes back. However, we still can strive to be our best.  

Make sure you see the other articles following this primer as they all converge and synergistically combine to help you grow your church to glorify our Lord!