What if your congregation got a report card?

It may reveal some interesting, and even frightful results; but can you imagine if each person in your local fellowship recieved a report card. Now this may hit a nerve with some, after all critiqing the pastor is part of many people's everyday life, but allowing others to critique them - them is fighting words.

My prayer as a pastor is not that we busy ourselves critiquing each other, but that each of us be sensitive to what God wants to do in us, what he wants us to change, and how we can better reflect his glory. Thom Rainer interviewed 23 pastors concerning what they would like to see most in lives of people in their churches, so as you read remember this is the pastor's perspective. May we all gain from looking in the mirror and asking God to help us as we work through this list:


"Here are their responses in order of frequency. As in my previous article, I note the desire and follow it with a representative quote.

1. Vibrant prayer life. “While I do want church members to pray for me specifically, I really want them to pray faithfully in all matters.”
2. Spirit of unity. “I want our church members to be uncompromising on cardinal issues, but I also want them to be willing to yield to others on minor issues and issues of preference.”
3. Respect of pastor’s family. “It’s okay if my family is not given preferential treatment by the church. We really want it that way. But I don’t want church members to have unreasonable expectations on my wife and kids just because their husband and dad is the pastor.”
4. Members who are critical to my face. “Like most people, I don’t like criticism. But I know it goes with the territory. I would just ask that any critics speak to me directly instead of speaking about me behind my back.”
5. Encouragers. “I don’t have to be applauded for everything I do, but I sure do appreciate those members who are the encouragers in my life. I don’t know what I would do without them.”
6. Faithful attendees. “I’m really not numbers obsessed, but when people faithfully attend worship services and small groups, I know the church is important to their lives.”
7. Members who share their faith. “I’ve been in ministry 34 years. The most faithful church members who make a difference in my life and the church are those who are consistent in sharing their faith.”
8. Members who lead their families spiritually. “The church can only do so much for families spiritually. But it’s great when both the church and family leaders work together to grow disciples in their own families.”
9. Members who confront other members for being negative and critical. “It really is a great feeling to know there are members in the church that have my back. Sometimes criticism of me is justified; but on other occasions the criticism comes from one of a small number of people.”
10. Members who read the Bible regularly. “I can’t ever remember a member who reads the Bible daily who became a challenge in the church. It just seems like people in the Word don’t act like people in the world.”

Now we have heard two perspectives: those of church members and those of pastors. What do you think of this “top ten”?"