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Q & A Discussion: Bill Tenney-Brittian

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How can I measure my group's spiritual progress?

Bill Tenney-Brittian responds in our Q & A discussion.

Topics:	Assessment, Evaluation, Spiritual growth, Transformation
Filters:	Coach, Group Leader, Pastor, Train
Purpose:	Discipleship
References:	Matthew 12:33 , John 15:2-5
Date Added:	March 02, 2009

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I've seen a number of spiritual progress inventories over the years, and I've been singularly unimpressed with all of them. Most of them were subjective, which means you can't really know whether a person is progressing or not. In fact, most of them were so subjective that I couldn't tell for sure whether or not I was progressing. Fortunately, there is a sure-fire way to measure an individual's spiritual progress—and by extension, the group's progress.

First, let me quickly point out that a group doesn't have "spirituality." A small group is a collection of folks gathered together. The only way to measure the group's spirituality is to measure whether and/or how the individuals in that group are progressing. So a small group's effectiveness can only be measured by how far it's taking members along the spiritual journey. With that said, let me share one of the most effective tools I've ever encountered for measuring spiritual progress.

There's really only one measure of spirituality that works: evaluating whether a disciple's life is becoming more or less like Jesus. And the only way to measure that is by behavior, or fruit. The fact is, no matter what we say, we behave according to our beliefs. It's one thing to say that I believe in evangelism, for example. It's quite another to share my faith. And yet, if I really do believe in evangelism, then my behaviors will reflect that belief and I'll be sharing my faith walk with others regularly. So, I've discovered that the easiest way to measure these beliefs in your group is simply to ask about behaviors.

For instance, at each small-group gathering, I'll invariably ask the group, "So, what have you read in the Bible this week that intrigued you?" Of course, in most small groups, the first time I ask that question the responses are primarily blank stares and stuttering. However, when I ask the second week, "What did you read in the Bible this week that puzzled you?" I'll get a couple of responses. By week four, I'm getting lots of answers because people get the idea that Bible reading is an expected practice of disciples.

Of course, I don't just ask about Bible reading. I ask about prayer ("What is God saying to you in your quiet times this week?") and faith-sharing ("Who did you share your faith with this week, and how?"). What I've discovered is that our group members' spiritual journey shows measurable progress each week as they get used to these questions. In fact, it typically takes only a few weeks before they start asking the same questions of each other!