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(The First) 80 Guiding Questions to Assess the Education Ministry of the Church
by Dr. Diana L. Hynson
Use these questions, and others you identify, to assess your understanding and practice of the ministry of Christian education and formation in your church. Because of the voluntary nature of participation in Christian formation activities and opportunities, it is difficult to know who should know what by when. But despair not! There are ways to assess what you are doing and where you are going. These initial 80 questions can take you a long way.
Vision
- Do you have a vision statement for the Christian education and formation ministry of the church? If so, who developed it and when?
- Does it get checked and updated as needed?
- Is it widely understood and agreed upon by the leaders and participants in the education and formation ministries of the church? How can you tell?
- Does the congregation as a whole value and support Christian formation and its leaders?
- In what ways is thevision made plain?
- Are Scripture, theology, and practice integrated?
- Is the Christian formation aspect of ministry integrated with worship, service, and fellowship?
- Do teachers and other education/formation leaders talk to one another (and the church council) about what they want to accomplish together?
- Do you have an overall learning plan rather than a collection of learning options?
- Is there an understanding that the goal of the learning plan is faith formation and disciple making that is evidenced in daily life?
What Settings for Education Are Offered?
- Do you have opportunities for study and for Christian formation on Sunday morning?
- On Sunday afternoon or evening?
- During the week? If so, when and for whom?
- Do you have Christian education and formation opportunities somewhere other than in the church facility? If so, what are they and when do they meet?
- Do you offer Christian education and formation opportunities other than in person, such as through the church website or by e-mail? If so, what are they and how often are they offered?
- What other small-group education and formation opportunities (such as DISCIPLE or Companions in Christ) are offered?
- Do you have groups or classes based on the biblical or theological development of the participants? (For example, do you have "entry level" Bible study classes for youth or adults as well as "intermediate," and "upper level"? Do you have "entry level" groups for people completely new to the Christian faith as well as groups that probe into the deeper faith questions for more mature believers?)
- Do you offer opportunities for confirmation for youth and adults? If so, how often?
- Do you offer educational opportunities that help people in age-appropriate ways to understand the Christian church, The United Methodist Church and its history and doctrine, or the workings of the various ministries of the church?
- Do you consider leadership training and development to be a part of the educational ministry of the church?
- Is there a plan for learning and faith formation with and for the community?
- Do you have opportunities for learning and faith formation through direct service, such as local mission, justice, or advocacy ministries?
Who Participates?
- What are the age-level groupings of classes for children, youth, and adults on Sunday?
- How many people are in each class?
- What are the age-level groupings of other groups or classes that meet other than Sunday morning?
- Is any age grouping unrepresented or under-represented?
- Who participates in opportunities in the educational settings mentioned above?
- What plan is in place to help children, youth, and adults progress from one class or group to the next so that they are challenged to grow spiritually?
- Are there any barriers to participation, such as accessibility issues (mobility, sight, hearing, comprehension level), transportation, timing, or other?
- As new people come into the church, is there new assessment to ensure that they are able to participate in new or existing education and formation settings?
- As current members grow or life circumstances change, is there any assessment that ensures they are able to participate in new or other education and formation settings than the ones with which they are familiar?
- Is there any outreach to the community or any groups/classes that meet away from the church?
Who Leads and Teaches?
- Do the people who recruit teachers and group leaders present an honest picture of the complexity, importance, and blessings of the teaching/nurturing role?
- Are people recruited based on their gifts and Christian character (or because they consent to fill a slot)?
- Are there stated (or written) expectations for teachers and leaders?
- If expectations are not stated, how do teachers and leaders know what they are?
- Do you have teachers and leaders for each needed education and formation group or class?
- Do you have to curtail needed groups for lack of leadership or settle for unqualified leaders?
- Is the leadership the responsibility of a few "experts," or is leadership shared?
- Do you have any set criteria by which you evaluate the teacher or leader's qualifications (i.e. a person of demonstrated Christian character, good rapport with the age group, proven teaching skills, responsible and dependable in attendance and preparation, and so on)?
- Do you attend to the security/safety issues regarding adults working with minors or vulnerable adults?
- Are these leaders willing to participate in ongoing "Safe Sanctuary" training?
- Is training offered? If so, how often, when, and by whom?
- By what criteria do you evaluate the skill of the trainers?
- Do people who indicate a willingness to attend continuing education events and training also follow through and attend?
- Are they encouraged, expected, even challenged, to attend?
- Will you/do you accept teachers and leaders who refuse to participate in training? (If you do, in what ways are you evaluating whether they are sufficiently skilled and equipped?)
- Is the pastor involved in (or supportive of) the Christian education and formation ministries?
- Does he or she make available the fruits of his or her biblical/theological education to the teachers and leaders?
- Does the pastor take interest and active involvement in "upper level" Christian education and formation opportunities that require or would benefit from the pastor's theological and biblical expertise?
What Do You Do?
- Are teachers and group leaders aware of the Comprehensive Plan for Teacher Development? (www.gbod.org/education/CP021009.pdf)
- Do teachers and leaders know their group members?
- Do classes and groups incorporate the spiritual disciplines?
- Are teachers and leaders knowledgeable of multiple intelligences and skilled enough to apply them in their classes or groups?
- Is there a balance between teaching/learning experiences that inform, form, and transform?
- Do teachers and group leaders challenge and expect participants to live out what they experience in their teaching/learning settings?
- Are group members encouraged to nurture and support one another both in and out of the group setting?
- Are leaders and group members hospitable?
- How are people -- particularly people new to the community, church, class -- greeted and integrated to the group? Are they taught about the group culture?
- Are people attentive to "insider language" -- church jargon, use of first names that newcomers don't know, theological language that is not defined, and so on?
- Are teachers/leaders trained to welcome and teach people with special needs?
Results
- Do you have a way to evaluate whether the programs, classes, ministries, and faith formation opportunities actually make any impact? Do you ask for feedback?
- What qualitative measures do you use (reported change in lifestyle, cultivation of Christian practices, attendance and participation patterns, growth toward leadership positions, acceptance of healthy mentoring opportunities, greater depth of personal relationship with God)?
- Do you follow through on the impact awareness feedback that you get so that future planning cares for surfaced needs and weaknesses and so that success factors are identified and replicated where appropriate?
- Is "impact awareness" a part of your worship, service, and fellowship ministry as well, and is the congregation mindful of this integration?
- Does the Christian education and formation ministry continue to "grow in grace and strength" as the congregation grows so that there is always an arena for continuing Christian formation?
Facilities/Institutional Issues
- Do you have in place a sufficient and working policy for the safety and protection of leaders and participants?
- Do you do security checks on people who work with minor children? If not, why not?
- Do you have adequate insurance and liability coverage? How recently has your insurance been reviewed?
- Do you have enough space for all the groups and classes you need?
- Is space evaluated and allocated according to the needs and circumstances of the participants? (For example, do senior adults have to climb a lot of steps? Does a class that has dwindled in size still keep the largest room? Do children meet in rooms with adequate furnishings for small people? Are they close to bathrooms? Are rooms or learning spaces large enough to accommodate the amount of movement and activity needed for the age group?)
- Are rooms clean, well lit, and equipped with supplies necessary to the lesson?
- Is the facility in compliance with policies for accessibility?
- Is the facility equipped for people with special needs?
- Is the signage sufficient for people to find their way around easily?
- Is the space sufficiently quiet and free of distraction so participants can hear, see, and pay attention?
- Is the space attractive enough to be inviting to guests?
- Is good use made of the room or space arrangement for setting a suitable ambiance for learning?
- How is the Christian education and formation ministry funded?
- How do you evaluate the financial costs against the needs and benefits in order to allocate funds?
Thank you for visiting our website and giving us the opportunity to serve you. You may direct comments or questions to Diana L. Hynson at dhynson@gbod.org.
Diana L. Hynson is the Director of Learning and Teaching Ministries at the General Board of Discipleship.
This article may be reproduced and used for educational purposes for a class or other local church educational setting. It may not be republished, distributed apart from its class use, or altered in any way. Copyright 2009, The General Board of Discipleship, Nashville, TN.
(Revised 3-4-09)
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