Before you can accomplish any of your dreams for your ministry, you first must evaluate your ministry to discover where it is now and where it has been before.

I love technology. It gives independence, freedom, and not to mention, more time. Probably, one of the most helpful devices recently popularized is the portable GPS system. It provides directions to just about anywhere in the U.S. I say just about anywhere, because, in spite of its helpfulness, occasionally it can steer you wrong. For instance, I remember when it directed me to the north-side of Oklahoma City when I should have been 45 minutes on the south-side of Oklahoma City but on the same street. Or how about the time when it sent my wife and me onto a gravel road for 9 miles with a sign near the end that read "Keep Out" on a closed farm gate. I also remember going through Nashville when it said to exit East on I-40, it really meant to exit West.

All mis-trust aside, it still is a handy contraption. But one thing is absolutely critical for a GPS unit to properly function: it must know where you are before it can direct you to anywhere else. More than a few times, we've gotten in the car; entered our next destination; and taken off without giving the unit time to "find" our location. This causes the GPS unit to give us wrong directions. It must know where you are before it can tell you how to get anywhere else.

This principle is equally true in our ministries. We must know where we are before we can give direction as to where to go. We must evaluate our ministries. Here are three ways that you could evaluate your ministry, discovering where you presently stand.

Take a step back. What do you see? Sometimes we are so close to what we are doing that we fail to see what is so obvious to others around us. Like the old adage says, "We can't see the forest because of the trees." Be prepared to ask yourself some tough questions. Are your rooms neat and clean? Are your teachers giving 100%? How many children have been saved this year? How many have been discipled? Never be afraid to face reality. It is the difference between where you are right now and where you could be in one or two years.

Take a step down. What do your parents see? It is possible, perhaps even probable, that your parents see weaknesses in your ministry that you don't see. It could be that by now the circumstances have been accepted as normal. But if a new mom, dad, or child walked into your ministry today, what would be their first impression of your ministry? Someone said, "You never get a second chance at a first impression." Now, while first impressions are not the only thing that matters, they are extremely important in drawing new families into your church. Meet with parents from your ministry, either in a group or individually, and ask them for their thoughts about how your ministry could be improved.

Get on your knees. First, what do your kids see? Get on your knees; go around your facility; and try to see your ministry from the children's perspective. Does it look fun? Is the area attractive? Do you have teachers who have lost their passion to make a lesson exciting to a kid? Sure, kids love to receive candy. And I'm sure that some of them only come for that. But it has been my experience that the kids who continue to come have found a teacher who is developing a relationship with them and is genuinely interested in their spiritual growth. Do you have this kind of ministry to children?

Second, What does God see? The most important thing that you can do is to get on your knees before God, and ask Him for wisdom and direction. Wisdom to know where you are. And direction to know where He desires to lead you. Is God pleased with your ministry? If Jesus physically attended your church this week, would He be pleased? Or would you be embarrassed?

Determine to spend some time this week evaluating your ministry.