On Sunday, July 6th, we launched the Next Step Church Assessment of the American Bible Society. This 15-minute survey helps churches like Browncroft understand where they can grow and flourish in discipleship. I want to thank those of you who have already completed this assessment. Today’s blog post features Dr. John Farquhar Plake, the Chief Innovation Officer at the American Bible Society and a leader of the Next Step Church Assessment. He will share more of the background, vision, and why this assessment matters to you. Thank you for your participation as we seek the right next steps for our church!
–Peter Englert, Adult Ministries Director
Knowing and Growing
How does a church know when it’s on track?
Leaders have asked this question for ages. Do attendance figures alone spell success? Or should we be looking at church activity—participation in services, small group membership, and volunteering?
While all these factors are important signs of church life, do they really indicate that people are growing spiritually? Are there better ways to assess spiritual development? How can we tell when people are truly learning to love God and others more?
Over the last two decades or so, researchers have been working on this. The architects of the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey at the Willow Creek Association found that increased church activities alone did not guarantee spiritual growth, especially for those in more advanced stages of faith. Instead, personal spiritual practices, particularly reflection on Scripture, had a far greater impact. The REVEAL team identified a spiritual continuum: exploring Christ, growing in Christ, close to Christ, and Christ-centered. As we grow in our faith, we move through these stages.
This simple process is designed to move a church from curiosity to clarity in just three weeks.
A New Tool
The American Bible Society has developed a new assessment tool—Next Step for Church—that builds upon the ground-breaking research of the REVEAL project and supplements it with our own findings. It’s designed to be straightforward and accessible, taking only about 15 minutes to complete from any electronic device. Responses are completely anonymous, but the collective data provide insight into the church’s spiritual health.
This simple process is designed to move a church from curiosity to clarity in just three weeks. At the conclusion of the congregational survey, church leaders automatically receive the assessment results, complete with tailored insights and suggestions for specific next steps.
This assessment isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution; it’s a strategic guide for a church’s unique journey. Your responses to the Next Step for Church survey will give Browncroft’s leaders and planners a sense of what’s working and what isn’t. In what ways are people growing, and are there any weak zones in the congregation’s development? Where do we see people moving forward in their relationship with Christ, and where are there stumbling blocks?
We’ve created Next Steps for Church to help churches like Browncroft understand their current situation and improve it. It applies fact-based research to foster real spiritual vitality—not just activity for activity’s sake, but programs, groups, or topics that help people grow in the ways that are most needed.
Your participation is crucial, as every voice matters. I want to emphasize that we respect the privacy of every respondent. No one is grading your individual spiritual growth. But together, your honest answers will create a portrait of your church, enabling your leaders to strategize for a future of even greater spiritual health and vibrancy.
We rejoice in the partnership we’ve had with Browncroft Community Church in the past several years, and we’re eager to see how God continues to move as you keep growing in your faith.
John Plake
