Assessment

Is a Fractional XP What Your Ministry Needs? Let's Find Out.

Introduction

Leading a church is demanding work that often pulls you in a dozen different directions at once. This straightforward assessment of 25 questions will help you determine if bringing on a fractional executive pastor might be the strategic move your ministry needs right now. Be honest with your answers—this isn't about getting a perfect score, it's about finding real solutions that work for you.

The assessment is 25 Questions

For each question, select the option that best describes your current situation. We've created unique response options for each question to help you think more specifically about your ministry context.

Take about 10 minutes to work through these 25 questions over 5 sections. Trust your gut—your first instinct is typically right.

Name*

Title*

Email*

Phone

Church Name

Section 1: WORKLOAD & WORKPLACE SUSTAINABILITY

How sustainable is your current ministry capacity?

1. Your typical work week looks like:*

Crisis Management - Lost track of hours, work and life boundaries have disappeared

Unsustainable Pattern - 65+ hours regularly with minimal boundaries

High Capacity - 55-60 hours consistently with emergency availability

Standard Ministry Load - 50 hours including regular evening commitments

Sustainable Pace - 40-45 hours with protected time for rest and family

2. When it comes to administrative tasks versus core ministry:*

Operationally Consumed - 70% or more time devoted to administrative functions

Admin Heavy - About 40% ministry, 60% spent on operational management

Equal Distribution - Roughly 50% ministry, 50% administrative and operational tasks

Healthy Balance - Approximately 60% ministry focus, 40% administrative responsibilities

Ministry Concentrated - 80% or more time spent on preaching, discipleship, and pastoral care

3. Your ability to focus on core calling (preaching, discipleship, vision-casting):*

Completely Overwhelmed - No sustained time for deep ministry focus

Consistently Fragmented - Difficult to complete meaningful ministry preparation

Frequently Diverted - Important ministry work often gets postponed

Generally Guarded - Some operational interruptions but priorities stay intact

Protected Priority - Rarely interrupted from your primary ministry functions

4. Your leadership team's current capacity feels:*

Approaching Burnout - Clear signs of unsustainable workload across the team

Overextended - Team members wearing multiple hats beyond their expertise

At Full Capacity - Operating at maximum but still managing responsibilities

Appropriately Challenged - Busy but functioning effectively within limits

Well-Resourced - Everyone operates within their strengths and availability

5. New ministry initiatives in your church typically:*

Never Get Started - Too busy with current responsibilities to launch new efforts

Remain Unfinished - Good ideas often don't reach full implementation

Stall Occasionally - Some initiatives fall behind due to capacity constraints

Progress Steadily - Implementation happens with reasonable timelines

Get Fully Implemented - Strong track record of completing what we start

Section 1 Score: 0

Section 2: EXECUTION & IMPLEMENTATION

How effectively are you bridging vision and implementation?

6. Your church's vision clarity and momentum feels:*

Lost in Translation - Compelling vision with no clear path to implementation

Stuck in Conceptual - Good vision concepts but limited practical application

Somewhat Unclear - General direction but lacking specific implementation strategy

Emerging with Purpose - Clear direction with steady implementation steps

Clear and Active - Well-defined vision with consistent forward progress

7. Your strategic planning execution record shows:*

Planning Without Action - Strategic documents exist but lack operational follow-through

Poor Implementation - Plans are developed but rarely fully executed

Inconsistent Results - Some plans succeed while others stall or fail

Strong Follow-Through - Most initiatives reach completion as planned

Consistent Implementation - Strategic plans regularly become operational reality

8. Your church's operational systems are:*

Crisis-Driven Operations - Most processes are urgency-based rather than systematic

Reactive Management - Systems exist but require constant troubleshooting

Mixed Performance - Some areas work well while others lack consistency

Generally Functional - Good systems with minor improvements needed

Highly Effective - Well-designed processes that function smoothly

9. Converting big-picture vision into actionable steps:*

Persistent Gap - Vision remains aspirational without practical application

Significant Difficulty - Know the destination but unclear on the journey

Occasionally Challenging - Sometimes struggle to create clear implementation paths

Generally Effective - Can develop actionable steps with focused effort

Strategic Strength - Excellent at breaking down vision into executable plans

10. Your staff development and leadership coaching includes:*

No Formal Development - Everyone learns independently without structured support

Survival-Based Learning - Staff develop skills through trial and error

Informal Mentoring - Development happens but lacks systematic approach

Structured Support - Consistent coaching with established development processes

Systematic Growth Plans - Regular development with clear advancement pathways

Section 2 Score: 0

Section 3: RESOURCES & FINANCES

What are your financial and capacity realities?

11. Adding a full-time executive pastor salary would:*

Impossible Scenario - Completely outside realistic budget considerations

Exceed Capacity - Not feasible with current financial resources

Create Strain - Possible but would require significant financial sacrifice

Require Adjustment - Achievable but would necessitate budget realignment

Fit Comfortably - Easily manageable within current budget parameters

12. Your openness to innovative staffing approaches:*

Change Resistant - Strongly favor conventional staffing approaches

Traditionally Minded - Prefer established hiring and staffing methods

Cautiously Interested - Open to new ideas with appropriate verification

Strategically Open - Willing to explore proven alternative approaches

Early Adopter - Actively seek creative solutions and new ministry models

13. The concept of executive leadership has been:*

Never Explored - Not previously considered for your ministry context

Briefly Discussed - Mentioned in leadership conversations but not researched

Thoroughly Investigated - Seriously explored but cost remains prohibitive

Actively Planned - Board approved with budget constraints as only barrier

Immediate Priority - Currently seeking the right executive leadership solution

14. Your church's resource stewardship and efficiency:*

Poorly Managed - Significant waste with missed stewardship opportunities

Needs Improvement - Resources not being maximized for ministry effectiveness

Moderately Efficient - Adequate stewardship but significant opportunities exist

Generally Effective - Good resource management with room for improvement

Highly Optimized - Excellent stewardship with maximum ministry impact

15. Your current ministry season is best described as:*

Crisis Response - Operating in emergency mode with urgent needs

Significant Transition - Major changes requiring additional leadership capacity

Rapid Expansion - Growing faster than current systems can support

Managed Growth - Intentional expansion within organizational capacity

Stable Operations - Consistent ministry with predictable patterns

Section 3 Score: 0

Section 4: OPERATIONS & SYSTEMS

How effectively are your organizational systems functioning?

16. Your administrative systems (finance, facilities, HR) are:*

Critically Deficient - Systems barely functional, requiring immediate attention

Frequently Problematic - Constant troubleshooting and system failures

Functionally Adequate - Systems work but require regular attention

Generally Sound - Solid systems with occasional maintenance needs

Highly Effective - Well-designed systems operating with minimal issues

17. Your volunteer engagement and retention patterns show:*

Critical Shortage - Severe volunteer deficit affecting ministry operations

Ongoing Challenges - Continuous recruitment needs with poor retention

Inconsistent Results - Alternating periods of strong and weak volunteer engagement

Solid Participation - Generally effective recruitment with good retention

High Engagement - Strong volunteer satisfaction with excellent retention

18. Information flow and communication in your church is:*

Systemically Broken - Poor communication creating operational problems

Frequently Confused - Regular communication breakdowns and misinformation

Occasionally Unclear - Some information gets lost or misunderstood

Generally Clear - Good communication with minor gaps or delays

Highly Effective - Clear channels with consistent, accurate information sharing

19. Your staff meetings and team coordination are:*

Consistently Ineffective - Meetings feel like time-wasting obligations

Often Unproductive - Meetings occur but lack focus or clear outcomes

Mixed Results - Sometimes productive, sometimes inefficient or unclear

Generally Effective - Good information sharing with reasonable efficiency

Highly Productive - Efficient, focused meetings that drive clear outcomes

20. Performance management and staff accountability includes:*

No Formal Process - Staff performance managed independently without oversight

Sporadic Attention - Occasional feedback when problems arise

Informal but Consistent - Regular feedback without formal systems

Structured Approach - Formal reviews and feedback on established schedules

Systematic Excellence - Regular feedback driving continuous improvement

Section 4 Score: 0

Section 5: STRATEGIC READINESS

How prepared are you to embrace strategic change?

21. Your receptiveness to external expertise:*

Highly Protective - Strongly prefer internal problem-solving approaches

Internally Focused - Prefer developing solutions within existing team

Selectively Receptive - Open to input after careful evaluation

Strategically Open - Welcome proven insights from qualified sources

Actively Seeking - Regularly pursue input from experienced ministry leaders

22. The value of experienced ministry perspective would be:*

Minimally Necessary - Current internal capacity adequate for ministry needs

Marginally Useful - Some benefit but not essential for current needs

Moderately Helpful - External perspective could improve specific areas

Highly Beneficial - Proven solutions could address multiple operational challenges

Transformational - Outside experience would provide significant ministry advancement

23. Working with a part-time, flexible executive arrangement:*

Unacceptable Approach - Require full-time, on-site executive presence

Significant Concern - Flexibility creates uncertainty about effectiveness

Requires Adjustment - Could adapt but prefer more traditional presence

Completely Workable - Comfortable with flexible, results-focused arrangement

Ideal Solution - Perfect fit for your operational needs and preferences

24. Investment in leadership development solutions:*

No Available Resources - All funds committed to basic operational needs

Budget Constrained - Limited funds available for leadership development

Cautious Commitment - Will invest but require substantial justification

Calculated Investment - Willing to invest with clear return expectations

Strategic Priority - Budget specifically for leadership effectiveness improvements

25. Delegating significant operational responsibilities:*

Maintain Direct Control - Prefer personal oversight of all significant decisions

Reluctant to Release - Struggle with handing off important operational areas

Selective Sharing - Delegate some functions while retaining others

Developing Delegation - Improving at trusting others with key responsibilities

Natural Delegator - Comfortable empowering others with important decisions

Section 5 Score: 0

Hire a Fractional
Executive Pastor

Wisdom and
Culture Consulting

Strategic
Planning Process

Capital
Campaign Support

Assessment

Is a Fractional XP What Your Ministry Needs? Let's Find Out.

Introduction

The assessment is 25 Questions

Section 1: WORKLOAD & WORKPLACE SUSTAINABILITY

Section 2: EXECUTION & IMPLEMENTATION

Section 3: RESOURCES & FINANCES

Section 4: OPERATIONS & SYSTEMS

Section 5: STRATEGIC READINESS

Email Address

Free insights on church productivity - Straight to your inbox

Hire a Fractional Executive Pastor

Wisdom andCulture Consulting

Strategic Planning Process

Capital Campaign Support

Assessment

Assessment

Is a Fractional XP What Your Ministry Needs? Let's Find Out.

Introduction

The assessment is 25 Questions

Section 1: WORKLOAD & WORKPLACE SUSTAINABILITY

Section 2: EXECUTION & IMPLEMENTATION

Section 3: RESOURCES & FINANCES

Section 4: OPERATIONS & SYSTEMS

Section 5: STRATEGIC READINESS

Email Address

Free insights on church productivity - Straight to your inbox

(602) 717-2176

iinfo@xphelp.org

Hire a Fractional
Executive Pastor

Wisdom and
Culture Consulting

Strategic
Planning Process

Capital
Campaign Support