gap2 - Transforming Mission

About

What is the GAP Assessment?

Short answer: An online assessment tool to identify a congregation’s missional readiness.

Long answer: The results from the online assessment guide leaders through conversations and decision points around living into the mission of making disciples and transforming the world.

What’s the first step?

The first step involves inviting the leadership to complete the assessment. It identifies the gap between what is personally important and the effectiveness of the congregation. Actually, the first step is letting us know you want to do the assessment with your leaders. Contact us at gap@transformingmission.org

What do you mean by missional readiness?

Is the congregation ready and able to focus on making disciples and participating in individual and community transformation.

Why engage Transforming Mission and the Missional GAP process?

You have a challenge that is wearing you out, frustrating you, and/or you’ve exhausted every program you know to use.
You are frustrated with a church in decline or stuck in the status quo.
You see roadblocks to any change.
You experience resistance…all. the. time.
You want buy-in from the congregation but aren’t sure where to start.
You’re tired of special interests, personal interests, and/or lack of missional impact.
You want to work toward fulfilling God’s mission for the church in your local context.

If any of the above speak to you, here are seven solutions we believe will help you move toward fulfilling the mission of God.

Here are seven ways Transforming Mission and the Missional GAP Assessment process can help you and your congregation.

Every challenge we face is made easier when we have a guide. We are prepared to serve as your guide toward transformation. Your leadership in the local church is important to us. We believe in you and the local church. We believe the local church is the most important and effective way to make disciples of Jesus Christ and transform the world.
We recognize there is a gap between personal preferences and missional effectiveness in the local church. The assessment identifies where gaps exist and invites the congregation to make decisions about how to address the gap.
We’re here to help you clear a path for transformational change so the church can fulfill its mission.
This process models four aspects of discipleship while addressing transformational change.
We’ve designed an invitational process to help you involve leaders, members, and constituents in gaining an understanding of one another, the congregation, and the church’s mission.
We’ve designed a process to guide you and your leaders in identifying the difference between personal importance and congregational effectiveness as it relates to the mission.
We will partner with you to coach you in fulfilling God’s mission.

Timeline

Leadership Missional Gap Assessment – 2-3 Weeks

Assessment open for 7-10 days

10-14 days to return reports to you. Missional GAP conversation should be scheduled two weeks after the close date.

Missional GAP Assessment – Congregation – 4 weeks

Assessment open for one month.

10-14 days to return reports. Affinity Group Retreat should be scheduled two weeks after the close date.

Affinity Group Retreat I – Weekend or 4 weeks

If this takes place as a retreat, all affinity groups will complete process together. If it takes place during evening meetings, allow one month for at least two sessions for each group. If this is not realistic, communicate the time needed for groups to meet two times.

Affinity Group Retreat II – Completed with Retreat I or 6 weeks.

If this takes place during the afternoon of Affinity Group Retreat I, no additional time is needed. If it is scheduled at a different time, it could range from one week to six weeks.

Commitment and Communication – 4 weeks

Phase 2

Aligning and Engaging a Missional Pathway – 2-6 months.

FAQ

If you are looking for a quick fix or prescriptive answers, we will frustrate you more than we will help you. If you are looking to fulfill the mission of God in your local context, have been in decline, or aren’t sure why “nothing has changed, but everything has changed” this process is for you.

How long will this process take?

If a congregation engages in the whole process, the shortest amount of time for Phase 1 is 6 months. The shortest amount of time for Phase 2 is 6 months. Plan for 12-18 month process.

Congregations eager and ready to embrace transformational ministry can have an impact within one year. Congregations with complexity, inability, or unwillingness to engage in honest, faithful conversations will take longer. A reasonable plan would be to have a two-month window of flexibility. All congregations are different.

Why are there decision points?

The three decision points are present to create space for discernment and commitment. Learning can bring about changes in commitment and reveal aspects of the congregation that need to be cared for before the next steps can take place. For the greatest value to be demonstrated, there must be affirmation from God and commitment of leaders.

What if we don’t engage the whole process?

While we want every congregation to complete the entire process, not every congregation will be ready to do so. Any place you say no, will be the path of least resistance. Our experiences working with a variety of congregations in different contexts, the size, age, and personality of the congregation, are important variables to take into consideration.

What is an affinity group? Why are they needed in this process?

Affinity groups may be formal or informal groups in the congregation. These are the groups in your congregation who have similar interests, connection points, and/or ministry. Examples might include: Choir, Youth, UMW, Small Groups, Parents of Young Children (nursery), Parents of Preschoolers, etc.

Is this a prescription for transformation?

No. While we have outlined a process to follow, every congregation is in a unique context. The contextual realities are necessary and important to explore for true transformation to occur. We recognize processes that are prescriptive often do not lead to the transformational change.

What if we need to do something quick? The pace of change is determined by readiness, not by mandate. Change cannot be mandated. Therefore, we have designed and tested a process that includes intentional discernment as well as individual and corporate commitments.

What will we need to have in place before this can begin?

We will share a check-list of logistics. The first logistic includes identifying a time for key leaders to meet to discuss transformational gap, discern if you wish to take next step.

Here’s a sample of some of the things you’ll need to plan for along the way.

Gather an email list of all congregation members and constituents.
Identify the following dates:
- a two week timeframe for leaders to take the Missional GAP Assessment
- one evening or Saturday morning for Missional GAP Conversation with leaders.
- One month timeframe for the whole congregation to complete the assessment.
- Dates for two Affinity Group Retreats
- Dates for Commitment and Communication meeting.

How do we get started?

Email gap@transformingmission.org

Download a sample report.

View a sample page of questions.

Explore the assessment categories.

Explore FAQ

Send us mail