I had a great time walking the Westwood group through their ministry assessment! I am blessed to be part of your growth as a group.
Here are some thoughts on the assessment process I provided to the group at the end. I believe they are relevant to anyone in an assessment situation, but especially within the church setting…
An assessment can be difficult to take if you are the one being assessed.
For many of us it brings out all our insecurities, and for others it creates an awkward 
situation to do what you do naturally. The intent of any assessment should be to help us grow stronger, through defining where we can become better and helping us discern where we are unhealthy. A system, which could be a ministry, a family, or a team,
that does not assess itself from time to time will grow cold and start missing its own purpose over time.
We as individuals become more self-aware and conscious of how God is at work, or can be at work, in our lives simply by learning to reflect and assessing ourselves on a regular basis.
There are no magic bullets and it is not all about changing the mechanics in a ministry to find God at work. God can work through anything we give him, and sometimes even what we do not. Much of what I discuss in this document and in our follow-up meetings will encourage you to discover new questions and look at different perspectives on growth together. So many aspects of what ministry is about are variables, simply because you are working with people, not machines. No matter how perfect you would
like something to become, there will still always be surprises in the moment and room for learning.
So what is the best way to approach this material? With eyes wide open! Take time to consider how the insights align with your perspective on your current ministry, both personally and as a group. Ask new questions about what you have been up to and what it means going forward. What does God have in store for you next?
Assessing yourself or your team is just like good communication. It brings clarity and helps you grow!
Eric Friesen 