Six Critical Questions Every Church Needs To Answer

Below, you will find a series of six questions (adapted from the book “The Advantage” written by Patrick Lencioni) that I hope will be helpful to your church and its leadership team.  After you have had an opportunity to read through each question and the related comments, I would sincerely appreciate any feedback you could give me on how these questions have served to challenge and/or encourage you.

1. Why does your church exist? This is your highest purpose, your most idealistic reason for being. It will answer the question, “How does your church contribute to making a better world?” Your answer to this question must be clear, concise, and compelling, as it will guide all decisions and actions made by your leadership team, now and in the future.

2. What does your church do? As opposed to your church’s reason for existence, which answers the question, Why? The answer to this question must be crystal clear and accurately describe what your church does practically and its fundamental activity to avoid confusion within the church leadership and church body.  Please note that this is not some marketing slogan but a one-sentence definition that everybody can easily understand.

3. How does your church behave? Your church has core values, whether written or not, whether you realize it or not. The answers to this question reveal your core values as a church.  These core values drive your behavior/actions/decisions as a church.  These values must be modeled by the leadership team first and foremost.  It must be stressed that any violation of these values is unacceptable so as not to minimize the values as mere idealism rather than real building blocks for your church culture.  To help communicate and promote a clear understanding of your core values, having your leadership team write out a vivid description of what each core value looks like in action would be very helpful.  Beware, these values will attract people to your church and repel others.  Please note that you cannot be all things to all people.

4. How will your church succeed? What intentional decisions will your leadership team make and commit to that will give your church the best chance to succeed? How will your church know that it has succeeded?  What “wins” can be celebrated as you move toward your definition of success? How might these “wins” be celebrated privately, in small groups, and before the larger church body?  How important is it to the health of your church to celebrate these “wins”?

5. What is the most important thing for the leadership of your church to focus on right now? Priority 1 and that your leadership team has committed to and agreed to address as a team even across department lines. In regards to addressing Priority 1, how important is it for the leadership team to function as a basketball team instead of a golf team?

6. Who must do what for your church to succeed? How is your church’s success tied to “teamwork”? What responsibilities will each leader and leadership team “own”?  How might these responsibilities be delegated?  How important is it for the leaders and team to know who is responsible for what?

1. What might happen at your church if you and your leadership group(s) knew the answers to all the above questions and had total buy-in?
2. How might you bring your leadership team(s) to a point where they know the answers and have committed to total buy-in individually as well as a leadership team to all the above?

3. What steps will you take to address these questions, and when?

I am praying for you and your church’s leadership team(s).  I trust God to move powerfully in and through you, your team(s), and the church body as a whole to be God’s ambassadors for spiritual, emotional, and physical transformation in your community and beyond.  If I can help you or your church address these questions, please do not hesitate to give me a call/text/email.