Step 01 of 05 · The Preliminary Phase
01
Preliminary
Honest assessment before any plan.
Before a single change is proposed, EMPOWER spends time listening, to the pastor, to the church, and to the community God has placed her in. Revitalization begins with telling the truth about where we are.
Luke 14:28 — “Which of you, intending to build a tower, doesn’t first sit down and count the cost…?”
01 PRELIMINARY → 02 POWER → 03 PASTOR → 04 PURPOSE → 05 PROCESS
Four Discoveries
What we learn together
Who are you as a pastor? — Leadership Assessment.
A confidential look at your wiring, gifts, leadership style, and seasons of life. Healthy churches are led by self-aware shepherds. We start where you are, not where someone else thinks you should be.
How balanced are we? — Perceived Balance Inventory.
Every healthy church carries six biblical functions: worship, prayer, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and evangelism. We honestly evaluate how energy and resources are currently distributed across the six.
What is your mission field? — Demographic Study.
A clear picture of the community surrounding the church: who lives there, what’s changing, and where the gospel is most needed. You can’t reach people you don’t actually see.
Is the church ready? — Church Readiness Survey.
A simple, prayerful tool for pastors to gauge openness to change, level of trust, and unity around the gospel. Without readiness, even the right plan won’t take root.
Why Start Here?
Assessment isn’t bureaucracy, it’s stewardship. Every faithful next step depends on a clear-eyed read of present reality.
“We can’t fix what we won’t first name. Honesty is the first act of hope.”
Expect roughly 4 to 6 weeks of prayerful conversation, surveys, and listening sessions, varying depending on the pace and timing of meetings.
Reflect
What would change if you knew, with confidence, the true condition of your church today?
Outcome
A shared, honest baseline. Pastor, leaders, and coach all looking at the same picture.