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Church Health Check-Up: 7 Questions to Ask Every Ministry Leader

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Life's Healing Choices

We have a lot of haphazard ministry being done in our churches around the world. Good people, who love the Lord, aren’t thinking through what God has called them to do. Ministry is too important to be done haphazardly. We can’t just say, “I’ll give it my best shot!” We need to think through what the ministries in our church are all about. Our ministries must be good stewards of all they’ve been given. For that to happen, we’ve got to plan ministry strategically. There are seven important questions that need to be answered when you’re planning an effective ministry. These are questions for any healthy ministry—whether it’s your music ministry, greeters, small group leaders, or any other ministry team.

Why are you here?

Every ministry in your church should have a clear idea of what it’s all about. That means asking two tough questions: What is the business of this ministry and what is none of this ministry’s business? What’s the business of Saddleback? We attract members, teach them to worship God, develop them to Christlike maturity, and mobilize them for ministry in the church and a life mission in the world. We do that in each stage and segment of their lives. If something doesn’t fit within that mission statement, we don’t do it.

What purpose of the church does your ministry fulfill?

Every ministry in your church should be tied to at least one of the five purposes of the church. Is this ministry designed to exalt Christ (worship)? Is it designed to reach out to the community (evangelism)? Is it designed to deepen relationships within the church (fellowship)? Is it designed to build people into Christian maturity (discipleship)? Is it designed to serve the needs of the church family (ministry)? As a pastor, you need to make sure that each of your ministries does one of these five things. If it doesn’t, your church doesn’t need to be doing it.

Who are you trying to reach?

You need to figure out who your ministry is trying to reach—the Community, the Crowd, the Congregation, the Committed, the Core, or the Commissioned. Ministries trying to reach the Community are evangelistic in nature. Ministries that serve those during weekend services are focused on the Crowd. Ministries focused on church members will work with the Congregation. Ministries that help people grow spiritually will center on the Committed. Ministries that meet the needs of people within the church or try to get people involved in the ministry of the church will focus on the Core. And the ministries that help those who’ve committed to be involved in missions (The PEACE Plan for us at Saddleback) will need to focus on the Commissioned. You need to know who your ministry is trying to reach. The Community has different needs than the Committed. The Congregation has different needs than the Core. Knowing who your ministry is trying to serve will influence how the ministry operates.

Where do you believe God is calling your ministry to be in six months?

This is the stage where your ministry leaders dream. Where would they like to see the ministry six months from now? If your ministry leaders can’t think about the future, they aren’t ready to lead the ministry. Ask your ministry leaders to get away with God and talk to him about the ministry’s future.

How does your ministry do what it has been called to do?

Did you know that your body has nine systems in it? When any one of those systems gets out of order, it’s called an illness or disease. The church (the body of Christ) has systems in it as well. And for us to be healthy, our systems have to work properly. How do your ministries do what they’ve been called to do? Ask your ministry leaders to think and pray about how to do ministry more effectively.

Who can you partner with to do what God has called you to do?

Your ministry leaders need to constantly be on the watch for people who can join them in ministry. Ask your ministry leaders to begin praying for at least one person who should be joining their ministry team. Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few . . . pray [for] laborers” (Matthew 9:35-36 ESV). Ask your ministry leaders to begin praying for more laborers.

In what way do you serve people?

Your ministries should serve the people in your community. Are you meeting physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual needs (or a combination thereof)? All of those needs are valid. Part of understanding the identity of your ministries is to know how each of them serves people. Then look for ways you can add value to the services those ministries provide. In other words, look for ways each of your ministries can do a better job providing for the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of the community.

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Jesus Is Inviting You to Rest

“It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind.” Ecclesiastes 4:6 (GNT)In ministry, the demands never stop. There’s always another call to return, another sermon to prepare, another need to meet. But sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is pause—and remember that your worth doesn’t depend on keeping up with the pace.To do that, you’ll need to confront two lies that quietly push pastors to exhaustion—keeping them striving, never thriving.Lie #1: Doing more makes you more worthy.When you confuse your work with your worth, you’ll find yourself running on empty. Scripture says, “It is better to have only a little, with peace of mind, than be busy all the time with both hands, trying to catch the wind” (Ecclesiastes 4:6 GNT). Rest isn’t wasted time—it’s trust. Your identity is secure in Christ, not in your output.Lie #2: Ministry is a competition.Numbers and comparisons can leave pastors feeling defeated. But God didn’t call you to run someone else’s race. “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones” (Proverbs 14:30 NIV). God takes delight in your unique faithfulness to the flock he has entrusted to you.Slowing down doesn’t start with clearing your calendar—it starts with your heart. Contentment in Christ frees you from the drive for more and steadies you in God’s peace.Jesus invites you today: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NLT). Pastor, that invitation is yours this Monday.

What to Do with the Weakness You Can’t Shake

You have weaknesses. We all do. They may be physical, emotional, intellectual, or spiritual—but they’re real. And more often than not, we try to hide them. We deny them, excuse them, defend them, or resent them.But God has a different plan.He wants to use your weaknesses for his glory. A weakness is any limitation you didn’t choose and can’t easily change. And while you might be tempted to think, “God could never use me,” the truth is, he delights in putting his power in ordinary people—fragile, flawed, and easily broken.That means you’re exactly the kind of leader God can use.Sometimes God doesn’t just use your weaknesses. He actually creates them—or allows them—so that you’ll rely on him. Sometimes he even turns your greatest strengths into weaknesses.That’s what happened to Jacob.Jacob was a schemer. He manipulated and deceived to get what he wanted. He spent much of his life running—from his brother, from consequences, and even from God. But one night, Jacob wrestled with God and said, “I won’t let go until you bless me.” God agreed—but then touched Jacob’s hip and dislocated it.It seems like an odd way to bless someone—by wounding them. But it was exactly what Jacob needed.God touched Jacob’s strength and turned it into a weakness. From that day forward, Jacob walked with a limp. He couldn’t run anymore. He couldn’t rely on himself anymore. He had to lean on God—literally and spiritually.That’s where transformation began.Pastor, if you want God to bless you and use you, you must be willing to walk with a limp the rest of your life. Because God uses weak people.When you stop hiding your weakness and instead allow God to work through it, you become a living testimony of grace. The world doesn’t need perfect pastors—it needs pastors who are surrendered. That’s where God’s power shows up.Paul experienced this firsthand. He had a weakness that he begged God to remove. But God didn’t take it away. Instead, he reminded Paul of a deeper truth:"But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9 NIV).That same grace is available to you today. Lean into it. Let your limp lead you closer to God’s strength.

The Light You Need for Monday Morning

“I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” John 8:12 (TLB)Every pastor walks through dark days.There are dark days of disappointment—when your sermon doesn’t seem to land, your people seem disconnected, or your leadership efforts fall flat.There are dark days of discouragement—when criticism cuts deep, when relationships in the church feel strained, when people you've invested in walk away.There are even dark days of doubt—when you wonder if you're really making a difference, or if you have the strength to keep going.In moments like these, you don’t need a new strategy. You don’t need to chase the next ministry trend or polish your systems.What you need is light. Not just any light—the Light of the World.Too often, when ministry feels unclear or heavy, we instinctively reach for "flashlights" of our own making.We try to power through with experience, education, energy, or effort. We tweak the schedule, attend a conference, overhaul the programming, or imagine that a fresh start somewhere else will fix the fog.But these are dim lights, and they burn out quickly.What you need isn’t a flashlight—it’s a floodlight.Jesus doesn’t offer a flicker of inspiration. He is the blazing, unwavering Light who sees the path before you even when you can’t. He doesn't promise to remove every valley, but he promises you’ll never walk through one alone.Pastor, if today feels dark—if Monday feels heavier than usual—remember this:Your calling didn’t begin with your qualifications, and it won’t be sustained by your talent. It rests fully on the light of Christ.So flip the switch of faith. With Christ’s light, you may not see five miles down the road, but God will give you just enough light for the next step.Trust him again today.

Who Are You Following?

“You are blessed whenever you follow my example.” John 13:17 (GW)Pastor, you are following someone. Every day, someone’s model is shaping your thoughts, your leadership, and your heart. The question is—whose example are you following?If you’re not intentional, the expectations of others, the pressures of ministry, or even cultural ideals about success can start to set your course. But only one example is perfect. Only one person truly knows what it’s like to lead, to suffer, to love, to serve, and to endure. That person is Jesus.Jesus never called people to follow a method, a ministry strategy, or a movement. He called people to follow him. And that’s still his call to you.Jesus is your perfect model for ministry. He led with both courage and compassion. He loved boldly. He spoke truth tenderly. He wept over cities. He washed feet. He carried a cross. Jesus wasn’t weak—he was strong in all the ways that matter most. He showed us how to lead with grace, humility, and faithfulness under pressure.And he says to you, “You are blessed whenever you follow my example” (John 13:17 GW).No seminar or book can beat the example of Jesus. You have the greatest ministry mentor in history at your disposal. Choose to learn from him this week.

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