I like these questions from Timmy Brister.
They are insightful, but don’t just set you up to bury your head in your hands and cry out: ‘I’ve/We’ve failed; I’ve/We’ve failed.’
They actually point to positive and constructive patterns of church life.
1. If our church would cease to exist in our city, would it be noticed and missed?
2. If all the pastors were tragically killed in a car accident, would the church’s ministry cease or fall apart?
3. If the only possible means of connecting with unbelievers were through the missionary living of our church members, how much would we grow? (I ask this because the early church did not have signs, websites, ads, marketing, etc.)
4. What are the subcultures within the church? Do they attract or detract from the centrality of the gospel and mission of the church?
5. Is our church known more for what we are not/against than what we are/for?
6. What are we allowing to be our measuring stick of church health? (attendance vs. discipleship; seating capacity vs. sending capacity; gospel growth, training on mission, etc.)
7. Are the priorities of our church in line with the priorities of Christ’s kingdom?
8. If our members had 60 seconds to explain to an unbeliever what our church is like, what would you want them to say? How many do you think are saying that?
9. If the invisible kingdom of God became visible in our city, what would that look like?
10. In what ways have we acted or planned in unbelief instead of faith?
11. As a pastor, is my time spent more in fixing people’s problems or helping people progress in faith through training/equipping them for ministry?
12. Are the people we are reaching more religious or pagan?
13. What can we learn about our evangelism practices by the kind of people are being reached with the gospel?
14. What will it take to reach those in our city who are far from God and have no access to the gospel?
15. What percentage of our growth is conversion growth (vs. transfer growth)?
16. How many people know and are discharging their spiritual gifts in active service and building up of the body of Christ?
17. How many people do I know (and more importantly know me) on a first name basis in my community and city who do not attend our church?
18. Am I using people to get ministry done, or am I using ministry to get people “done”?
19. Is the vision we are casting forth honoring both God’s heart for the lost (builder) and God’s passion for a pure church (perfecter)?
20. If money and space were not an issue, what is one thing we ought to dream for God to do in our midst where it is impossible for anyone to get the credit except for the omnipotent hand of God?
21. If being a church planting church is comprised of disciple-making disciples, then how are we doing?
As I wrote above, these questions flow from premises that our local leadership have pretty much embraced.
Part of embracing these premises is the notion that we can always improve, but we need to be thoughtful and purposeful about knowing where we need to improve; how we plan to improve; and if we are, in fact, improving.
I think these questions help identify that thinking in a practical way.
HT: Provocations & Pantings and Justin Taylor.
mgpcpastor's blog 
Outstanding list here! THANKS for including it among your posts. The one thing that they all seem to “boil down” to (and this is simplistic, I know, but please bear with me) is this: “Are we ‘hot’ or ‘cold’? Or are we as a church simply disgustingly ‘lukewarm’?” Oh, to be so passionately in love with Jesus that we begin to think His thoughts after Him (Scripture), to ponder His Word (meditation), to ‘speak the truth in love’, being ‘full of grace and truth’! (day-to-day conversation/communication). While I like all of the questions, #10 is among my “favorites”! (as are #s 4, 7, 16, etc.) p.s. What were the ‘4 Questions to Consider When Framing the Mission Budget’? My eyes must be closed tightly, since I can’t seem to see them… (I do like the suggestion of the 5th missions-related question, re: How to get the congregation involved in cross-cultural ministry.)
Hi, I post these sorts of things here so the church of which I am a part can read them. (Along with any other interested Blog surfers)
I was unaware of Timmy Brister before reading these. I hope you visit his blog.
That was one of the reasons that I liked these questions: they point toward practical, positive outcomes for kingdom work.
We can challenge ourselves passion and committment but feel a bit unsure about how to best express that.
Our church has a mission statement: Glorifying God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit by growing His family through Biblical teaching, prayer and loving relationships locally, nationally, and internationally.
Questions like these and others help challenge us about how to do that.
Four Questions For Mission Budget is from Kevin DeYoung’s blog. The link is here.
Nowadays I’d be more inclined to at least post his headline points here, rather than just linking.
Thanks for both links! Have just checked out Timmy’s on “Dysfunctional Calvinism” (zzzing! Right on target! Nevertheless, as several of his commenters also stated, could also be quite applicable to Arminians). Will check out Kevin DeYoung’s after sending this.
Your point on the “expression” of our passion & commitment is well-taken; thanks for serving as a “stir-er”: “Stirring” up believers everywhere to “love and good deeds”. Keep on “stirrin'”! Be encouraged! THANKS again!
You’re welcome.