Communities First

Assessment of Ministry Capacity

This tool is a general capacity assessment questionnaire used for congregational discovery work.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Church Resources Survey

This tool is a survey used to find out what member gifts are present in your church, and what time people are free to volunteer...

Community Listening and Networking Surveys

This tool is a sample of survey questions.  One contains questions for talking to communities about their neighborhood, and  the other are questions geared towards interviewing officials, organizations, and leaders for the purpose of networking.

Community Stakeholder Interviews (Key Questions)

This tool is a basic interview template for talking with organizational stakeholders in community discovery work.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Community Study Guide

This tool is a practical manual that guides church leaders through the basics of community assessment.  It should help leaders to understand their church's context for ministry. 

Community Walking Exercise

This tool is an outline of a community walking exercise intended for aiding in community discovery.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Congregational Listening: Potential Interview Questions

This tool is a basic interview template (based on Appreciative Inquiry) used for congregational discovery.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Creating Space for Community Listening

This tool is a PowerPoint about how to create space and prepare to listening to your community. Only when you start listening to your community can you really bring about positive lasting change.

ECN: An Initial Framework

This tool is an overview of Volunteers in Service

How is Your Church Engaging the Community?

This exercise gives you a quick overview of how your church is engaging the community. An accurate picture of the church's strengths, weaknesses, and goals for outreach is useful in pointing the church toward its next steps in developing transformational community ministry.

Mapping Your City

Mapping out your city or town can be an important tool in effectively making a difference. Through mapping, an attempt is being made to prepare teams to be successful, and to assess the city to better understand what to do. This tool shows how to do this using Microsoft MapPoint...

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NOTE: This tool is (4.5MB) and is easier to download than to view within the browser.

Ministry Inventory Guide

This tool is used to assess your church's ministry capacity and identity.  The questions focus on local outreach.  Some questions ask about what  the church does, others focus on how and why the church engages in external ministry.

"Neighbor" Conversations (Key Questions)

This tool is a three question template for starting "neighbor conversations" to aid in community discovery work.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Personal Preparation for Ministry Action

Perhaps you are drawn toward community ministry … but you aren't sure whether you are really ready to plunge in. This personal preparation not only strengthens your readiness to be used by God as an agent of transformation, but also cultivates God's transforming work within you.

Recognizing Congregational Assets (Key Questions)

This tool contains questions used to garner an overview of congregational assets for use in congregational discovery.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Screening Criteria for Entry into 'Building Readiness'

This is a screening tool used to do an initial assessment of congregational leadership's readiness to enter into the 'Building Readiness' part of the equipping Church Network process.

This tool is utilized within a coaching/consulting relationship. It is not intended to be a "stand alone" resource for analyzing data.

Services Offered by the Church

This is a ministries focus in community tool. It is used to find out what other churches are doing in the community...  

Urban Survey Information

This tool is a list of things to look for when you walk around your neighborhoods when you are 'Building Readiness' and doing 'Community Visioning.'