Connecting Spirituality and Reality: The Power of Ministry Assessments
By Marcelo Gomes

Many people struggle with bridging the gap between their spiritual life and personal reality. While our faith inspires us to pursue a life of purpose, meaning, and service, our daily lives and challenges often leave us feeling stagnant, unfulfilled, and disconnected from our soul's desires. As United Methodists, we recognize the importance of a holistic perspective of human life, and we recognize that our spiritual lives are connected to personal and social realities. Connectionism, spiritual disciplines, and social holiness are concepts related to that perspective.
Path 1 offers assessments to church planters to give them tools to pursue this holistic understanding of life and ministry. These tools help planters reflect on spiritual gifts, personality traits, leadership skills, and planting potential. The assessments provoke planters to consider life and ministry in a holistic understanding of motivations, passions, and values, and how those align with God's calling. The assessments offer valuable insights into people’s strengths and weaknesses, identify areas of growth, and help individuals establish a plan of action toward their purpose.
How Do Ministry Assessments Help Connect Spirituality and Reality?
By providing a comprehensive understanding of individuals’ inner and outer worlds, ministry assessments can help individuals connect spirituality and reality by creating a reflexive roadmap toward their calling. Assessments can help answer questions such as, "What is my purpose? What are my unique gifts? How can I use these gifts to serve God and others?" Ministry assessments can help individuals align their spiritual vision with their practical goals, create actionable steps toward their purpose, and overcome barriers along the way. They also help planters understand the importance of accountability and teamwork.
Types of Ministry Assessments
Several types of ministry assessments are available, depending on the individual's needs and goals. Some of the popular assessments include:
Spiritual Gifts Assessment: This helps individuals recognize their unique spiritual gifts and ways of using them to serve God and others.
Personality Assessments: These provide insights into personality traits, strengths, and weaknesses to help individuals understand how they can improve their relationships with others.
Leadership Assessments: These evaluate s leadership potential, styles, and behaviors to help people improve their leadership skills.
Benefits of Ministry Assessments
Enhanced Self-Awareness: Ministry assessments help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves, their strengths, and their weaknesses. Such awareness can help them improve their relationships, navigate challenges, and grow in their spiritual journeys.
Better Decision-Making: By providing clarity about purpose, gifts, and calling, ministry assessments can help individuals make better decisions that align with their values, goals, and priorities.
Increased Confidence: Ministry assessments can help individuals build their confidence as they recognize their unique abilities and strengths and are empowered to pursue their purpose.
To get started with ministry assessments, you can reach out to me at [email protected], and I’ll be glad to guide you through the process.
Dr. Marcelo Gomes is the Director of Training & Church Planting Systems with Path 1 at Discipleship Ministries.
Contact Us for Help
Contact Discipleship Ministries staff for additional guidance.