In his book Creating a missional culture, JR Woodward lays out that a church should have a culture that is learning, healing, welcoming, liberating and thriving. I found this section of the book to be particularly helpful, especially the questions he asks to evaluate your culture.

Learning Environment

• In what ways does Scripture shape the community you serve?
• Is the community listening to God through the Scriptures and practicing in their everyday lives what they are learning? How?
• In what ways are people actively reflecting on what they are practicing?
• What percentage of the congregation is immersed in God’s story and teaching the Scriptures to others?
• How many are actively interacting with God’s story as it relates to their local context and mission?

Healing Environment

• Do the rhythms of the church make space for people to have down time and just hang with each other?
• Are their regular times for people to be genuine with one another – with no masks?
• How well do people know each other and share life with each other?
• What percentage of the congregation considers the church as family?
• How many are experiencing healing from past hurts and moving toward wholeness spiritually, physically, mentally and emotionally?

Welcoming Environment

• How many people genuinely welcome others into their tight community?
• How well does the faith community reflect the diversity of the neighborhood?
• What ministries are in place to help orient people into the life of the congregation?
• What percentage of people meaningfully connect with others in the neighborhood, at work or in other missional spaces?
• How well does the community incarnate the good news within the various missional spaces?
• How willing are people to sacrifice their own cultural comfort to meet people where they are?
• How many people willingly initiate with people who are different than them?

Liberating Environment

• What percentage of the congregation is pursuing God’s shalom in the power of the Holy Spirit?
• How many people are actively using their spiritual gifts to build the body and serve the neighborhood?
• Is the congregation walking alongside the poor and oppressed? In what ways?
• How is the congregation speaking to the powers and subverting systems that perpetuate injustice?
• How much of the congregation seeks to be good stewards of all creation for the sake of the whole world?

Thriving Environment

• How many people are discovering their calling and living it out with great passion?
• To what degree is the multiplication of disciples taking place?
• What percentage of people are being mentored and are mentoring others?
• Are there apprentices for each ministry?
• What percentage of people has a sense of ownership in the congregation?
• Are there ministries in the congregation that intentionally help match people’s passions with the needs of the church, the neighborhood, the missional spaces and social justice issues?
• How many people see their work as a sacred vocation by which they are able to serve their neighbor and bring glory to God?

Great questions for leaders to think through.