Now is the Time to Measure and Build Effectiveness

Evaluating where you are going and setting the foundation for getting there are critical for effective ministry…

We have never done this before, but this is a repeat of one of our blogs that has been in extremely high demand. Since this came out in the summer and now is the time for ministry start-up, we thought we would share it again as a way of reminding you of the importance of measurement.

Children matter to God so they better matter to us in the church. We have been claiming without reservation how important it is to support the spiritual development of children within families and in churches…and how those efforts should be linked by purpose and function in unison. Building a saving relationship with God through Jesus Christ is the most important thing in the lives of our children…and, in fact, in our own lives also.

So, how can churches be sure that their efforts in children’s ministry are properly focused and are working productively toward such a critical goal? At LOGOS, we have tried to answer those questions by translating our more than 40 years of ministry experience into a model, or framework, which defines the characteristics of ministry effectiveness. The resulting Ministry Effectiveness Model has been developed for those churches who use a LOGOS-style ministry model and for those who don’t. Generally, it includes characteristics in three broad categories:

• Purpose – intent and objectives of the ministry within the church’s broader mission
• Practicality – approach, plan and resources to support the ministry
• Impact – capability to produce results that matter

If churches are going to be effective in their service to children, they must engage in constructive dialogue about their ministries and commit to discovering ways to improve them. To support churches in that process, we use our effectiveness model to facilitate their efforts toward probing the fundamentals and seeking specific opportunities for improvement. The criteria that comprise our models help leaders to pinpoint key elements of ministry and to target symptoms that may indicate ministry ineffectiveness. In the final analysis, the model is a great tool for guiding a church’s ministry planning, development, and problem-solving initiatives.

You can find the LOGOS Ministry Effectiveness Models in the library on our web site.

Listen to our podcast: Is your Children’s Ministry Effective?