Real Time Evaluation

This is an article from my M-F Radio Program. Apply this in your ministry and be blessed.

As we have repeatedly rehearsed on A Different Perspective, everything rises and falls on Leadership. The Pastor is key. He MUST exercise gracious, effective and persistent leadership. That leadership must focus on, and, be shaped by PURPOSE. That purpose is Make Disciples. This means guiding those already redeemed to an ongoing maturity in Christ. It means effectively connecting with the community in which the church is located and reaching lost people via the powerful declaration of the pure Gospel of Grace. If these two factors are not in place, not much else will matter. The church will simply engage in a ‘ministry of maintenance’.

How does the pastor accomplish this monumental task in a culture of indifference?

Jeff Immelt assumed the CEO responsibilities from Jack Welch at GE. He immediately introduced a practice that should be standard practice at every church in every ministry venue. He calls this practice Real Time Evaluation. Let me explain.

Many churches have what they label ‘An Annual Review’. This is typically comprised of people stating whether they ‘like’ what the pastor has been doing all year.

Question? When a married couple has a disagreement, what I like to refer to as a ‘Domestic Altercation, do they wait an entire year to resolve the difference they are facing? Not if they have a single brain cell between them. Eph. 4:32 provides excellent guidance here:

Ephesians 4:26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,

The wisdom in this passage is found in resolving conflict BEFORE it erupts into unresolved relational dysfunction. The same applies in ministry in the local church. It is simply foolish and unfruitful to only engage in honest assessment once a year. IN that mode if there is a problem it festers for an entire year. Not good.

                   

Here is the problem. Most nearly all pastors are terrified of honest objective assessment. They resist any attempt to pull back the curtain on reality. The truth is when a dysfunction is identified early on it may be readily resolved with a minimum harm to the overall ministry.

So pastor, do yourself a favor and frequently do what Immelt calls Real Time Evaluation. You will be well served and your pastoral longevity will be greatly improved.