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Here is something most of us never do when it comes to evaluating your church ministry.
We plan an event. We run the event. It goes okay. And then we move on to the next thing. We put it on the calendar for next year. We do not think about it again until the month before.
We are not asking questions. We are not paying attention to what happened. We are not noticing the gaps.
I talk about this a lot. There is an evaluation thing that most of us never do. We put things on the calendar, and we are not always saying, “What else?” Like, what are we seeing?
But I know a church that does it differently. They evaluate every week. Not once a year. Not even once a month. Every week.
And it made all the difference.
Why Weekly Evaluation in Ministry Matters
When Ruth’s church started the Really Free Marketplace, they did not have everything figured out. They had a space, some leftover stuff from garage sales, and a willingness to try.
But here is what set them apart. They did not just start something and hope for the best. They built in a rhythm of paying attention.
Every week, they looked at what was working well and what needed to be adjusted. They paid attention to what people needed. They noticed when something was not working and changed it.
That weekly rhythm kept them from getting stuck. It kept them responsive to real needs instead of just running on autopilot.
Most of us do not do this. We plan an event, we run it, and then we move on. We do not build in time to ask, “What did we learn? What should we do differently? What is the next step?”
But that weekly evaluation is what turns a one-time event into something lasting.
What Evaluation Is Not
Before I tell you how to do this, let me tell you what it is not.
It is not a formal meeting with agendas, minutes, and parliamentary procedure. It is not a committee thing. It is not something you need to clear your calendar for.
It is simple. It is quick. And it is honest.
Ruth talks about this. She says, “Each week, we re-evaluate what’s working well and what’s not working well.”
That’s it. Two questions. What is working? What is not working?
How to Evaluate Your Ministry in 15 Minutes
Here is a simple method you can use. It does not require a big meeting or a lot of people. You can do it with one or two others. You can even do it by yourself.
1. Set Aside 15 Minutes
At the end of each week, block out a little time. Fifteen minutes is enough. You do not need more than that.
2. Ask Two Simple Questions
Write them down if it helps. What worked well this week? What did not work well? That is it. Those are the questions.
3. Write Down What You Notice
Keep a simple notebook or a note on your phone. Just jot down what you are seeing. Patterns will start to show up over time.
4. Ask “What Else?”
This is the question I come back to again and again. What else are we seeing? What else could we try? What else do people need?
5. Be Ready to Shift
The goal is not to get it right the first time. The goal is to keep paying attention and keep adjusting. If something is not working, change it. If something is working, do more of it.
What to Look For When Evaluating Your Church Ministry
When you evaluate, here are some things to pay attention to.
1. What are people asking for?
Between those garage sales, people kept emailing. “When are you having your next one?” “I really need this.” That was a clue. The church paid attention.
2. Where are the gaps?
Is there something people need that you are not providing? Is there a time between events when needs are going unmet? The gap is where the next ministry might be hiding.
3. How are your volunteers doing?
Ruth talks about this too. They noticed when their volunteers needed a break. They paid attention to who was feeling overwhelmed. That weekly check-in helped them protect people from burnout.
4. What is changing in your community?
Needs shift over time. What people needed six months ago might not be what they need now. Weekly evaluation helps you stay current.
The Right Posture for Evaluation
Here is the thing. Evaluation is not about finding fault. It is not about beating yourself up over what did not go well.
It is about paying attention. It is about staying curious. It is about being willing to learn and adjust.
I always say, be ready to say, “Hmm, should we try this? Could we shift this?”
That is the posture. Always wondering. Always ready to shift.
How One Church Evaluates Ministry Every Week
Let me tell you how this played out for Ruth’s church.
They started with a free garage sale. It went well. Really well. They had so many donations that they had to do another one a month later.
Most churches would have stopped there. Put it on the calendar. Done.
But they kept evaluating. They noticed people were emailing between sales. They noticed there was a gap. They noticed they had a space not being used.
So, they asked, “What can we do with this?”
They tried opening the space in between the big sales. Just a few hours here and there. Nothing fancy.
Then they evaluated again. They noticed people wanted to try on clothes. So they added a changing room. They noticed community members wanted to help. So they welcomed volunteers.
Every step of the way, the evaluation shaped the ministry. They did not start with a grand plan. They started with a willingness to pay attention and adjust.
A Simple Weekly Evaluation Template For Your Church Ministry
If you want something to help you get started, here is a simple template. You can copy this into a notebook or a document and use it each week.
1. What Worked Well This Week?
(Write down one or two things)
2. What Did Not Work Well?
(Write down one or two things)
3. What Did People Ask For?
(Write down any questions or requests you heard)
4. What Surprised Us?
(Write down anything unexpected)
5. What Should We Try Next Week?
(Write down one small thing to test)
When To Schedule Your Weekly Church Evaluation
That’s it. Five questions. Fifteen minutes. You will learn more than you think.
Pick a time that works for you. Friday afternoon. Monday morning. Sunday after church. Whenever you can carve out fifteen minutes.
The key is consistency. Do it every week. The patterns will show up over time. One week might not tell you much. But ten weeks? Twenty weeks? You will start to see things you never noticed before.
Who Should Be Part of Your Church Ministry Evaluation
You can do this by yourself. But it is better with one or two other people. Someone who sees things from a different perspective. Someone who will be honest with you.
It does not have to be a formal team. Just someone you trust. Someone who is paying attention too.
Ruth talks about having two volunteers who were dedicated to the marketplace. They were in it together. They could evaluate together.
What to Do When Something Needs to Change
This is the most important part. When you see something that is not working, do something about it.
You do not have to fix everything at once. But you can try one small change. See what happens. Evaluate again next week.
That is how you pivot. That is how you build the plane while you fly it.
5 Tips For Staying Consistent When Evaluating Your Church
1. Start Small
You do not need to evaluate every single thing your church does. Pick one ministry. One event. One area of focus. Start there.
2. Be Honest
This is not about making things look good. It is about seeing clearly. If something is not working, say it. No one benefits from pretending.
3. Celebrate What Is Working
Evaluation is not just about problems. Notice what is going well, too. Encourage the people who are making it happen.
4. Keep It Simple
Do not let this become another thing on your to-do list. Fifteen minutes. Two questions. That is all you need.
5. Involve Others
You do not have to do this alone. Ask one or two people to join you. It makes it easier to stay consistent.
Why This Practice Changes Everything
Here is what I want you to see. Evaluation is not just about fixing problems. It is about staying awake to what God is doing.
When you pay attention, you notice things you would have missed. You see the gaps. You hear the questions people are asking. You spot the places where the Spirit is already moving.
That is what happened for Ruth’s church. They did not start with a grand vision. They started with a garage sale and a willingness to pay attention. And because they kept evaluating, they ended up with a ministry that reaches way beyond their walls.
That church only has about 50 people on a weekend. They do not have a big budget or a big staff. But they have a rhythm of paying attention. And that has made all the difference.
Start Evaluating This Week
So, here is my question. What would happen if you spent fifteen minutes this week just paying attention?
Not planning. Not fixing. Just noticing. What worked? What did not? What did people ask for?
You might be surprised by what you see.
And if you try it, I would love to hear about it. That is what this community is for. Sharing what is working and encouraging each other to keep going.
If you are not already in our Small Church Ministry Facebook group, come join us. It is a place where small church leaders and volunteers can be honest about the struggles and celebrate the wins together. We would love to have you.
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