I’ve served in church operations long enough to know that most of the work we do is invisible unless something goes wrong. When the building is clean, the lights work, the grounds look good, the bathrooms are stocked, the vehicles run, and the systems flow smoothly… most people don’t notice. But let one thing break — one toilet overflow, one HVAC unit die, one event go unprepared — and suddenly operations matters to everyone.

I don’t say that cynically. I say it gratefully.
Because church operations should matter — deeply. The ministry of operations is not simply about fixing what breaks; it is about supporting the work of the Great Commission.

Operations, at its best, is a spiritual ministry that supports the pastor’s vision, strengthens the church’s testimony, and clears obstacles so the gospel can advance with clarity and excellence.

But to get operations healthy — and keep it healthy — you must know what to measure. You must know what matters. Because healthy ministry doesn’t happen by accident. It is prayed for, planned for, and stewarded well.

Here’s how I’ve learned to measure church operational health.

1. The Spiritual Foundation of Operations

Before we ever talk about systems, policies, equipment, or workflow, we need to settle something up front:

Operations is a spiritual ministry before it is a logistical one.

The gift of administration is listed in Scripture as a spiritual gift:

“…helps, governments…”
— 1 Corinthians 12:28 

“Governments” is administration. “Operations” as we know it. (as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:6) And of course, it is structure.
It is Spirit-given and Scripture-affirmed.

Healthy operations begins with spiritually healthy servant-leaders — men and women who walk with God, read His Word, and carry out their responsibilities with spiritual maturity and integrity.

Strong operational ministries require:

• Daily time in Scripture
• A real prayer life
• Patience and humility under pressure
• Emotional steadiness
• A servant’s heart toward people
• A willingness to be invisible yet faithful

Let me explain why this matters so much:

Personnel assigned to operations often deal with the messiest, most urgent, and most stressful tasks in the church. Flooded buildings. Broken systems. Last-minute emergencies. Middle-of-the-night problems. Sunday-morning glitches.

If they don’t walk in the Spirit, they will walk in stress.
If they don’t walk with God, they will walk in frustration.
If they don’t stay spiritually grounded, they will burn out — or lash out.

Operational health begins with spiritual health.
You cannot measure one without measuring the other.

2. Operations as a Support Pillar for the Great Commission

Many people wrongly assume that operations is “secular” work and preaching is the “spiritual” work. But Scripture never makes this distinction. In fact, the apostles appointed Spirit-filled men to handle the logistical needs of the church so that the Word of God could be preached unhindered.

The ministry of operations exists to enable the mission, not distract from it.

“…we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
— Acts 6:4 (KJV)

Why did the apostles say that?
Because someone else — a team of godly, Spirit-filled servants — took responsibility for the operational load (Acts 6:1-7).

This is one of the most important truths operational leaders must embrace:

**The Great Commission drives operations.

Operations supports the Great Commission.**

Everything must be measured through that lens.
If an operational system distracts from evangelism, discipleship, or the teaching of God’s Word, it is unhealthy — no matter how efficient it appears.

This perspective reshapes how we measure operational health:

• Do our systems help the pastor focus on preaching and shepherding?
• Do they remove distractions from the Sunday worship environment?
• Do they give members confidence in the church’s stewardship?
• Do they provide the connection among all parts of the body of Christ?
• Do they cultivate excellence that reflects God’s character?
• Do they champion the identity of the local church?
• Do they support outreach, discipleship, and ministry events?

A healthy operations ministry is not about doing the most work — it is about doing the right work that advances the mission.

3. Learning and Carrying the Pastor’s Vision

Every healthy operational ministry begins with this conviction:

Operations is successful only when it carries the heart and vision of the pastor.

Your pastor sees the whole field.
He feels the spiritual weight of the church.
He knows where God is leading your ministry.

Operational teams must align themselves with that vision. That means listening, asking questions, clarifying expectations, and anticipating needs.

Here’s how I evaluate whether we’re aligned:

Signs That Operations Is Aligned with the Pastor’s Heart

• We understand not just what he wants done, but why it matters.
• We carry out the details so he can stay focused on preaching and shepherding.
• We communicate quickly, clearly, and consistently.
• We anticipate needs before they reach his desk.
• We help “set the table” for him to minister effectively.
• We protect him from unnecessary burdens and minutiae.

Operational health is ultimately measured not by how busy the team is, but by how freely the pastor can fulfill his biblical calling.

The pastor sets direction.
Operations builds the road beneath it.

4. The Core Components of Operational Excellence

Now we get into the structural side — the tangible elements you can measure, evaluate, and improve over time.

But before listing these components, here’s the key principle:

If you don’t define excellence, you cannot deliver excellence.
And if you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.

Healthy operations rests on clear, documented, communicated systems that everyone understands. These become the backbone of consistency — especially in larger ministries where dozens (or hundreds) of people rely on smooth processes.

Here are the components I evaluate regularly:

The Six Core Components of Operational Health

1. Clear Vision
   • Everyone knows where we’re going and why.
   • Every system supports the mission, not personal preference.
2. Policies
   • Written guidelines that create order.
   • Protects the ministry from confusion and conflict.
3. Protocols
   • Step-by-step procedures for recurring tasks.
   • Helps volunteers and staff reproduce excellence.
4. Priorities
   • Clear understanding of what matters most.
   • Prevents time from being wasted on low-impact tasks.
5. Communication
   • Fast, frequent, and accurate communication.
   • Eliminates surprises, frustration, and misaligned expectations.
6. Team Structure
   • Right people in the right seats.
   • Responsibilities assigned according to gifting.

Every church — regardless of size — can measure and improve these areas.

And the more clearly you define these components,
the less chaos you will experience
and the more ministry you will be able to support.

5. The Urgency and Expedience of Operational Work

Operational work is not theoretical — it is real, urgent, and often unpredictable. It involves everything from parking lots to carpets, maintenance to campus care, restrooms to vehicles, safety to special events.

Operations is the ministry that:

• Notices when the toilet is overflowing
• Fixes what breaks before anyone else sees it
• Manages emergencies quietly
• Maintains the property that represents Christ to the community
• Prepares spaces so ministry can function

Let me explain why this matters:

Operational Health Is Seen Most Clearly in Urgent Moments

• A baptism service is happening… and the heater is dead.
• A big guest Sunday is coming… and part of the campus floods.
• A major event is underway… and the sound system fails.
• A missionary arrives… but airport pickup was forgotten.
• Sunday morning begins… and classrooms weren’t prepared.

These are not hypotheticals. They’re real-life moments operations must respond to immediately — and the health of the entire ministry depends on how well operations handles pressure.

Healthy operations solves problems without creating new ones.
Unhealthy operations magnifies problems and creates chaos.

That’s why the spiritual, emotional, and structural health of operational teams matters so deeply.

Operational excellence honors God.
Operational chaos distracts from Him.

6. The Marks of a Healthy Operations Ministry

When operations is spiritually grounded, aligned with the pastor’s vision, built on strong systems, and prepared for urgent moments, the fruit becomes unmistakable. The church feels different. The atmosphere feels stronger. Ministry flows more smoothly. Guests feel welcomed. Members feel cared for. And the pastor feels supported.

A healthy operations ministry creates a healthy ministry environment.

Here’s what that looks like:

The Four Marks of an Operationally Healthy Church

• The ministry is edified — everything is done decently and in order.
  The campus is clean. Events run smoothly. Systems work. Distractions disappear. People sense excellence and stewardship.
• The ministry is equipped — volunteers and leaders can serve confidently.
  They know the procedures. They know the expectations. They can step into roles without confusion.
• The ministry is engaged — people take ownership of the church’s health.
  They notice needs. They serve willingly. They care about the environment of the church and the testimony it presents.
• The ministry is enjoyable — people feel safe, prepared, and supported.
  Ministry is not chaotic. It’s life-giving. And when people enjoy serving, they serve more joyfully, faithfully, and fruitfully.

Operational health isn’t about perfection.
It’s about stewardship.
It’s about faithfulness in the unseen things that support the visible mission of the church.

A Final Question

As I work through these truths, the Lord often brings me back to a simple question:

If we measured our operational health today, what story would it tell?

Would it reveal clarity? Excellence? Team alignment?
Or confusion? Stress? Gaps? Overload?

If the assessment exposes weakness, that’s not failure — it’s opportunity.

Opportunity to rebuild the foundation.
Opportunity to strengthen the systems.
Opportunity to align more closely with the pastor’s vision.
Opportunity to support the Great Commission with excellence.

My prayer is that our operations — the unseen spine of the local church — will honor Christ, support the mission, and help our ministries flourish for the glory of God.

“Let all things be done decently and in order.”
— 1 Corinthians 14:40