DiscipleScan Mini

Welcome to the DiscipleScan Mini!

Find more information and watch testimonial videos, click here.

Takes about 5 minutes

Answer instinctively, not perfectly.

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Let’s begin.

1) People in our church have a clear definition of what it means to be a disciple at this church.

A

| 1 | There is no shared or written definition of what it means to be a disciple at this church. Most people—including leaders—would give very different or unclear answers. |

B

| 2 | A few staff or ministry leaders may have a personal idea of what discipleship means, but it is not shared or communicated church-wide. |

C

| 3 | A general concept of discipleship exists, but there is no clear, commonly used language across the church. |

D

| 4 | Most leaders and many members can describe what it means to be a disciple at this church, even if the phrasing varies. |

E

| 5 | The church has a clearly defined and widely communicated definition of a disciple, and most members can articulate it using consistent language. |

2) We have a clear, communicated discipleship path for all stages of spiritual maturity.

A

| 1 | No clear discipleship path exists. |

B

| 2 | Some pieces exist, but they are scattered and uncoordinated. |

C

| 3 | A basic pathway exists but isn’t widely known or used. |

D

| 4 | The pathway is mostly clear and communicated to staff and leaders. |

E

| 5 | We have a well-defined, communicated, and church-wide discipleship pathway that is being used and refined. |

3) After someone joins a group, class, or ministry, there is a clear spiritual next step.

A

| 1 | No next steps are provided or suggested after initial involvement. |

B

| 2 | Next steps vary widely and are left to individual leaders. |

C

| 3 | Some pathways exist, but they’re inconsistent or unclear. |

D

| 4 | There are generally known next steps, especially for key ministries. |

E

| 5 | Every area of ministry has built-in, intentional next steps for ongoing spiritual growth. |

4) We know how to assess or recognize when someone is growing spiritually.

A

| 1 | We have no way of identifying spiritual growth. |

B

| 2 | It’s mostly anecdotal or based on attendance or participation. |

C

| 3 | We occasionally hear stories of growth but have no consistent method. |

D

| 4 | We can recognize and describe growth in some tangible ways. |

E

| 5 | We have defined markers of spiritual growth and can regularly see and celebrate them. |

5) Our church provides opportunities for people to keep maturing beyond initial involvement.

A

| 1 | We primarily focus on new believers or newcomers. |

B

| 2 | There are few structured opportunities beyond early engagement. |

C

| 3 | Some ongoing growth opportunities exist but aren’t systematic. |

D

| 4 | We have intentional options for deeper growth, but not for all. |

E

| 5 | There is a comprehensive plan for ongoing growth that supports long-term discipleship. |

6) Our church supports people at every stage of spiritual growth, not just newcomers.

A

| 1 | We mainly cater to newcomers or early-stage believers. |

B

| 2 | We recognize other stages but don’t intentionally address them. |

C

| 3 | We sometimes engage people in various stages, but inconsistently. |

D

| 4 | We offer some resources for each stage of growth. |

E

| 5 | We actively disciple across all spiritual stages, with tailored support. |

7) We intentionally help people move from consumers of ministry to co-laborers in ministry.

A

| 1 | Most people attend but are not involved in ministry or leadership. |

B

| 2 | We encourage involvement but lack intentional development. |

C

| 3 | Some intentional development occurs but isn't widely practiced. |

D

| 4 | We have a structure to grow people into ministry roles. |

E

| 5 | We actively equip and release disciples into ministry and disciple-making roles. |

8) Our leadership understands the spiritual formation process as more than just behavior change or knowledge gain.

A

| 1 | Leaders focus primarily on behavior and attendance. |

B

| 2 | Some leaders understand spiritual formation but it’s not central. |

C

| 3 | There’s growing awareness, but inconsistent integration. |

D

| 4 | Most leaders understand and try to practice spiritual formation. |

E

| 5 | Our leadership is deeply formed around holistic, transformational spiritual formation. |

9) Our ministries often feel disconnected, rather than aligned around spiritual growth.

A

| 1 | Ministries operate in silos with no shared direction. |

B

| 2 | Occasional collaboration happens, but no unified vision. |

C

| 3 | There’s awareness of the need for alignment, but little implementation. |

D

| 4 | Some ministries are aligning around a shared growth vision. |

E

| 5 | All ministries are aligned to a central spiritual growth pathway and regularly collaborate. |

10) We’re doing a lot, but we’re unsure how much actual transformation is happening.

A

| 1 | Activity is high, but transformation is not considered. |

B

| 2 | Leaders feel busy but can’t define impact. |

C

| 3 | We sometimes see transformation, but it feels random. |

D

| 4 | We see signs of transformation and have a growing awareness of how it happens. |

E

| 5 | We intentionally measure and celebrate transformation over activity. |

11) We have good entry points, but not enough clear next steps.

A

| 1 | We offer starting points, but nothing beyond. |

B

| 2 | Some next steps exist but are unclear or underutilized. |

C

| 3 | We try to offer next steps, but they’re not consistent. |

D

| 4 | Most ministries offer next steps, with moderate clarity. |

E

| 5 | We have an intentional process with clear, inviting next steps for every person. |

Be sure to check your email for a Snapshot Report from Ascending Leaders - in addition to the Tally results.

Foundational Work Needed

You're in a high-opportunity season. Define your disciple-making vision, assess ministries, and build from the ground up.

Clarity: Your team might be well-aligned, but the score suggests a gap in how clearly discipleship is defined or communicated. Strengthen your clarity by naming what a disciple is, and building shared language across ministries. You can find a video on defining what a disciple is here.

Stages: You might be doing a lot right, but your stage score shows that some people might be spiritually “stuck.” Build tools or training to help leaders recognize where someone is and guide them forward intentionally. You can find a video defining the stages of discipleship here.

Readiness: You might have vision, but your structure may still be fragmented. Your readiness score suggests that ministries may be siloed or loosely connected to your discipleship path. Consider realigning efforts around a shared growth journey. You can find a video discussing how to create a path for discipleship in your church here.

Some Next Steps to Consider...

1) Without a clear, shared definition of what it means to follow Jesus, it's hard to lead anyone there. Begin with your leadership team: what do we mean by “disciple”? Agree on language that feels real, simple, and aligned with your theology. You can find a video on defining what a disciple is here.

2) Most churches do well with newcomers or new believers—but stall after that. Start naming where people tend to get “stuck” in your context, and explore ways to walk with them more intentionally beyond that first spiritual step. You can find a video defining the stages of discipleship here.

3) Programs aren't bad—but if they don't lead somewhere, people stay busy and shallow. Begin by asking each ministry: “What spiritual growth is this aiming for?” and “What’s the next step after this experience?” Those two questions can start a culture shift. You can find a video discussing how to create a path for discipleship in your church here.

Total Score = out of 55 | Clarity Score = out of 25 | Stage Score = out of 15 | Readiness Score = out of 15.

Be sure to check your email for a Snapshot Report from Ascending Leaders - in addition to the Tally results.