Annual “On - Purpose” Review Process:

Seeking God’s Direction for the Coming Year

Church: _______________________________________ Date: __________________

Pastor: ___________________________ Delegate: ___________________________

Board Members: ______________________________________________________________

STEP 1: DETERMINING WHERE WE CURRENTLY ARE

A. Factual Statistics: what has been

	Last Year Jan - Dec	This Year to Present
Average Weekly Worship Attendance:
Total Number of Conversions: Youth Adult
Total Number of Baptisms: Youth Adult
Total Offerings:
Total Fair Share Giving:
Total Missions & Other Special Giving

B. Congregational Heart: passion, perceptions and problems

1. 3 adjectives that best convey the congregation’s perception of itself . . .

2. 3 adjectives that best convey the local community’s perception of our church . . .

3. Based upon our church’s current attitudes and actions, what are the 3 most important things to our congregation?

4. What would you identify as the congregation’s 3 greatest obstacles / concerns?

C. “Internal” Ministries Assessment:

1. Assimilation: How do we welcome new attendees & follow them up? How do we integrate new attendees into the life of our church? What is our membership process?

2. Discipleship: How do we follow up a new believer? How do existing believers experience mutual encouragement and challenge – small groups? classes?

3. Stewardship: How do we train our congregation in financial giving?

4. Equipping: How do we help believers focus their interests and talents into meaningful places of service?

5. Leadership: How are we developing present and future leaders in our congregation?

D. “Outreach” Ministries Assessment:

During the past year, in what ways has our congregation . . .

1. been involved in special ministries to or by children:

2. been involved in special ministries to or by teens:

3. impacted our local neighborhood / city:

4. impacted our world regionally or globally:

E. Support Systems Assessment:

1. Prayer Support: How do we emphasize prayer? How are we a praying people?

2. Financial Systems: Do we have an annual budgeting process? Do we have an accurate accounting system? How do we keep the congregation informed of their giving and our needs?

3. Do we have a means to discuss major facility improvements and other capital expenses?

STEP 2: HUMBLE YOURSELVES BEFORE GOD

Once the church’s leadership has completed the assessment process of Step 1, guide the congregation through Step 2:

· Celebrate the progress made this past year

· Repent of attitudes / actions that inhibited the Spirit’s work this past year

· Submit your wills to God’s will for a preferred next year

STEP 3: DREAM ABOUT WHAT GOD WANTS YOU TO BE & TO DO

After Steps 1 & 2 have been completed, the leadership team re-gathers to share the dreams God has been giving them as they have released their wills to God’s will, and asked to be guided by His Spirit:

1. Individually share your hopes and dreams regarding the church’s attitudes, relationships, specific ministries, needed facilities, etc.

2. Take time to celebrate together what God has revealed and what might be

3. Pray together about what has been shared and celebrated, asking for Godly discernment.

STEP 4: AGREE UPON ONE - THREE PRIORITIES FOR NEXT YEAR

Having faced your current reality (Step 1), humbled yourselves before God, (Step 2), and asked God to fill you with His dreams of possibility (Step 3), begin narrowing the focus and identifying a few specific things that God is confirming as priorities for your congregation (Step 4). The following questions may be helpful in that process:

1. If someone from the community came to your church for the first time 3 years from now:

a. What 2 things would you want that person to experience?

b. What 2 things would you hope would be different from what is true today?

2. In order for your vision of your church to be realized in 3 years:

a. What do you need to either start doing or do better than you currently are?

b. What do you need to stop doing that you currently are doing?

3. What 1 – 3 priorities or goals do you need to focus upon in the coming year?

The senior pastor sees that the results of the On Purpose Annual Review are

written down and distributed / presented at the Annual (Society) Meeting;

a copy is also given to the SAC District Leader at the January Regional Training Event