7 Data Points That Could Transform Your Ministry

Picture this: It’s Sunday evening, and you sit down after a long day: early call time to finish message prep, two services with a 35-minute message, volunteer appreciation lunch, stack the chairs, deliver the offering to the bank, and finally, home.

After briefly catching your breath and debriefing with your spouse, you reflect on the day:

• Attendance felt strong
• Giving was normal
• And the congregation’s sparse head nods indicated that the sermon connected

You’ve relied on these three key church metrics for decades to help you self-assess your effectiveness, but tonight, something feels off. As you ponder what’s next for the church, your succession, and a looming capital campaign, you sigh and think to yourself, “How are our people really doing?”

You remember that you got into ministry to help people, not to count them.

With big requests and changes on the horizon, will those decades-long self-assessments—while important—be enough to effectively shepherd your congregation into the next season of ministry?

Measuring What Matters

Numerous pastors around the country are beginning to ask the same questions. Knowing they can’t have coffee with every member of the congregation on a regular basis, they’re wondering how to begin measuring less of what people are doing and more of who they’re becoming. 

The 7 Dimensions of Human Flourishing, based on work from the Harvard Center for Human Flourishing and in collaboration with Barna and Gloo, looks at seven dimensions of whole-person health. Flourishing, as defined by John 10:10, “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.”

As leaders seek to understand the spiritual formation of their congregation and how they are becoming more like Jesus, these dimensions allow leaders to know how their people are doing and where they need support.

Church leaders can be confident in knowing where to go next, aligning programming, teaching calendars, and next steps to support each person’s flourishing life.

The 7 Dimensions of Human Flourishing

1. Spiritual.

A high-level rating of spiritual vitality as measured by the desire to place Jesus first in one’s life and the belief in the authority of the Bible.

2. Relationships.

A look at how satisfied and content one is with their friendships and close relationships in general, measuring whether one’s expectations of their closest relationships are being met.

3. Finances.

Measuring the degree to which one worries about meeting monthly living expenses and whether or not food, safety or housing emerge as ongoing stressors.

4. Purpose.

Looks at the experience of finding purpose and meaning in one’s daily activity, whether at work, home or during one’s free time. It looks beyond occupation to one’s place and role in the world.

5. Health (Mental & Physical).

A look at how one rates both their physical and overall mental health.

6. Character.

A look at one’s overall responses in the world and how they engage with culture around them.

7. Contentment.

This looks at a holistic view of one’s happiness and the satisfaction they feel in their life.

Knowing where people are across these 7 dimensions allows pastors to double down on their strengths and do more of what’s working to support each person’s flourishing life.

It will also help them identify areas where their congregation needs support, giving them clarity on where to lead and invest in the next season of ministry.

If their congregation has an opportunity to grow in their financial flourishing, maybe the pastor can launch a sermon series on financial stewardship. If their congregation is strong in relationships, how might the leadership team leverage the church community to combat the loneliness epidemic in America?

These solutions become clear when pastors measure what matters and discern effectively with the power of the Holy Spirit.

And as they share back with their congregation, they’re building a feedback loop of trust, helping their people know the why behind the vision of the church.