Finish Strong, Start Fresh: Part 1 – Year-End Audit for Greater Ministry Impact

In this season you and your team are probably spending a lot of time, energy, and resources preparing for your Christmas services. However, we want to remind you of another important opportunity you should balance in the mix.

As we approach the end of the year, it’s a natural time to pause, reflect, and take stock of all that God has done through your ministry. For multisite pastors, this process isn’t just about personal reflection – it’s a chance to do a “year-end audit” across each of your campuses, ensuring you’re well-positioned to finish the year strong and lay a solid foundation for the new ministry year.

In this first part of our 3-part series, we’ll walk through a practical checklist to assess where you are, celebrate what’s working, and identify areas that need extra attention. Let’s dive in!

1. Evaluate Key Metrics & Ministry Wins

What it is: Numbers aren’t everything, but they do tell a story. Now is the time to review key metrics to understand how your ministry has grown and where there may be opportunities for improvement.

Checklist:

• Attendance Trends: Review attendance growth at each campus, comparing in-person and online numbers. Are there sites that have seen strong growth? Sites that have stagnated or declined?
• Financial Health: Look at giving patterns and overall financial trends. Are you ending the year in a strong financial position? How does giving align with your budget goals?
• Volunteer Engagement: Assess volunteer retention and engagement rates. Is your volunteer base growing and thriving, or are there areas where you’re seeing drop-off?
• Community Impact: Look at measurable outcomes from your community outreach efforts – the number of people served, partnerships formed, or new outreach initiatives launched.
• Spiritual Growth Indicators: Track markers of spiritual growth, such as small group participation, baptisms, and first-time commitments. This is a chance to see the “fruit” of your ministry efforts.

Pro Tip #1: Create a simple dashboard or summary document with these metrics so you can track year-over-year progress and easily share these highlights with your leadership team and congregation.

Pro Tip #2: Be sure to delineate between inputs and outpoints. For example, attendance and givings are inputs, percentage growth in Life Groups attendance, number of new deacons or elders, and percentage growth of first time givers are outputs.

2. Review Multi-Site Health

What it is: Multisite ministry can amplify your reach, but it also introduces unique complexities. Reviewing the health of each site ensures alignment with the larger mission and allows you to identify specific needs.

Checklist:

• Mission Alignment: Are all campuses aligned with the core mission and vision? Do they consistently reflect your church’s DNA?
• Campus Strengths and Challenges: Identify unique strengths and challenges at each location. Which sites are thriving? Are there any campuses that need additional support, resources, or even a strategic re-think?
• Consistency in Culture and Experience: Assess whether the experience is consistent across campuses. Are there gaps in worship quality, guest services, or children’s ministry offerings from site to site?

Pro Tip #1: Consider having a brief meeting with each campus pastor to go over these questions. Their on-the-ground perspective will be invaluable for an accurate assessment.

Pro Tip #2: A standardized review tool will help this process be as efficient and insightful as possible.

3. Celebrate and Recognize Your People

What it is: Ministry is demanding, and often the people who pour out the most are the ones least recognized. An intentional approach to celebration can boost morale, reinforce your church’s values, and set a positive tone as you enter the new year.

Checklist:

• Recognize Key Contributors: Make a list of key staff, volunteers, and lay leaders who have gone above and beyond this year. Consider public recognition or personal notes of gratitude.
• End-of-Year Gathering: Host a celebration event or staff retreat where you share ministry highlights, tell impactful stories, and celebrate what God has done.
• Congregational Stories: Share gratitude stories with your congregation to reinforce how their contributions have made a difference. Highlight stories that show the life change and impact your ministry is having.

Pro Tip #1: This is also a good time to recognize campus-specific wins. Make sure each site feels that their unique contributions are valued and celebrated.

Pro Tip #2: A presentation  of these stories can become a great Year End Report for the church.

4. Identify Unmet Goals or Lingering Issues

What it is: No year is without its challenges. Now’s the time to address any unmet goals or persistent issues that could hold you back if left unresolved.

Checklist:

• Review Unmet Goals: Go over any goals from this past year that weren’t met. Why did they fall short? Are they still relevant for next year, or do they need to be modified?
• Address Lingering Issues: Identify any unresolved challenges, such as budget shortfalls, personnel gaps, or program misalignment.
• Document Lessons Learned: As you identify challenges, take time to document lessons learned. Use this as an opportunity for growth, not as a critique. What could you do differently next year?

Pro Tip #1: Be open and honest with your team about these areas. Acknowledge where things fell short and frame the conversation around growth and improvement for the year ahead.

Pro Tip #2: Take this to another level by having each ministry team conduct a SWOT assessment and present it to the executive team for awareness and feedback.

5. Conduct a Leadership Team Health Check

What it is: The health of your leadership team has a direct impact on the health of your church. As the year closes, it’s crucial to check in on how your team is really doing – both collectively and individually.

Checklist:

• Staff Satisfaction and Burnout Levels: Use an anonymous survey or personal check-ins to gauge overall morale. Are your staff showing signs of burnout, or do they feel supported and fulfilled?
• Communication Effectiveness Between Campuses: Evaluate how well your communication flows between campuses. Are there frequent misunderstandings or information gaps? Is everyone clear on expectations and direction?
• Leadership Pipeline and Succession Plans: Look at your leadership pipeline. Are there emerging leaders who need more development? Do you have succession plans in place for key roles, especially at the campus level?

Pro Tip #1: If you’re not sure how to get honest feedback, consider bringing in a neutral third party to conduct an anonymous survey or facilitate a feedback session.

Pro Tip #2: Does your leadership team have a list of potential leaders, deacons, or elders? This is a great time to compile that for the new year.

Wrapping Up Part 1

Finishing the year with a thorough review not only helps you close any loose ends but also gives you a clearer picture of where God is at work in your ministry. This isn’t just an exercise in organization – it’s a way to celebrate the impact of your church, address obstacles, and ultimately strengthen the foundation for the year ahead.

In Part 2, we’ll look at casting vision and setting goals for the new year, moving from reflection to forward momentum. Get ready to start dreaming big and creating a roadmap that aligns with your church’s mission and calling.