Imagine This With Me…

It’s early Sunday morning, and your alarm is going off.
 Beep. Beep. BEEEEEEP. 
You forgot to turn the ringer down last night, and now you’ve been ripped from the best sleep you’ve had in days. You’re groggy, a little irritable, and definitely not in the mood for chirpy notifications, or anything else for that matter.

You roll out of bed (because let’s be honest, no one “jumps” out of bed anymore), and your first thought is, “Coffee will fix this.” You stumble toward the kitchen, eyes half-closed, only to step in something.
Something wet.
 Something gross.

You look down, and yep. The dog left you a lovely little present in the middle of the night. Now you’re gagging, hopping to the sink, cleaning your foot, and mumbling prayers for patience.

Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. The kids are still asleep. The teenager is groaning. The baby’s crying. Someone can’t find their shoes. Someone else just spilled cereal on the only clean church outfit they had. And your coffee? It’s cold now.

By the time you make it into the car, half-dressed, half-fed, and running five minutes behind, you’re already wondering: 
“Why does this feel so hard?”

Another Task. Another List. Another Sunday.

You show up. You smile. You sit.
 You worship, you listen, and you try your best to be present, but deep down, you’re exhausted. Not just physically… spiritually.

And maybe you’re not alone.

Because for so many in our congregations—moms, dads, singles, students, leaders—Sunday has become another thing to survive. Another routine to maintain. Another calendar item to squeeze in between everything else.

In a world that moves fast and demands more, church can unintentionally become just another event. Just another space we serve in, sing in, and then quietly slip out of, still feeling disconnected, unseen, or unchanged.

The Leadership Side of This Story

And if you’re a pastor or ministry leader, you’re not just thinking about your own Sunday morning chaos; you’re carrying the weight of everyone else’s too.

You’re asking:

• Are people finding rest here?
• Are they growing in their faith?
• Is this more than just a service, or are we just good at keeping things running?

Because here’s the truth that hits hard:
 Spiritual health doesn’t happen by accident.
 It’s not about packed calendars or polished programs. 
It’s about people.
 And the deeper work of transformation.

If the church isn’t creating space for that kind of growth, if our systems and rhythms only add to the noise, then we risk becoming just another thing people attend, instead of the place where they’re changed.

We Need Better Questions

That’s why spiritual health can’t be measured by attendance alone. Or giving. Or how many volunteers signed up for the Easter event.

We need questions that get below the surface:

• Are people deeply connected to one another?
• Are lives being transformed by the gospel in practical ways?
• Is our church culture marked by grace, honesty, and authentic discipleship?

Until we start asking those questions, we’ll keep mistaking activity for impact. And we’ll miss the opportunity to lead people into true spiritual growth.

What If Church Felt Different?

What if the Church became known, not for how many people attended, but for how deeply people were being formed?

What if Sunday wasn’t just one more box to check, but a refuge? 
A place to breathe.
 To be known.
 To belong.

What kind of difference could that make?

In our homes. 
In our parenting. 
In our mental health. 
In our neighborhoods.
 In our witness to the world?

That’s Why We Created the Spiritual Health Assessment Toolkit

This is a free, practical resource designed to help your leadership team:

• Identify the spiritual health of your church beyond numbers
• Spark honest, grace-filled conversations with your team
• Highlight areas of strength and opportunities for growth
• Create space for meaningful discipleship to take root

Whether you’re thriving or in a season of recalibration, this tool will help you evaluate what’s working, what’s missing, and where God may be inviting your church to grow.

Download the Toolkit Now

Because church should never just be a place we go. 
It should be a people who help us grow.