Operationalizing Values & Avoiding Mission Drift Ministry Best Practices Checklist

	A	B	C	D
1	Staff	Hiring	Your Response	Relevant Material
2		Require all staff sign a statement of faith		ADF 10 Best Practices
3		Require all volunteers sign a statement of faith		ADF 10 Best Practices
4		Use church involvement as requirement/criteria for hiring		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
5		Use other assessment of spiritual committment and/or beliefs in hiring		Reviewing Statement of Faith Alignment for Faith Based Organizations, ADF 10 Best Practices
6		All job descriptions that tie into religious mission and religious activities		ADF 10 Best Practices
7		Onboarding Training (i.e. first 6 months)
8		Have invested in documenting and creating training on the organization's history and connection with the history of the larger movement		https://www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/
9		Provides staff with extensive training on the organization's history and connection with the history of the larger movement		https://www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/
10		Use checklist, learning management system, HR system or other method to ensure staff complete history & values portion of onboarding training		Sample Employee Onboarding Training Checklist
11		Requires Christian staff complete basic theological training (i.e. Apostle’s Creed) to limit syncretism		https://www.cityvision.edu/rescuemissionvalues/
12		Have documented and developed extensive training for program staff in program values		See sample outline from ADC506. Examples in books:More than a Homeless Shelter.
13		Staff training
14		Provide incentives for secularly educated staff to gain training in Christian integration in their fields		ADC506 and MIN640 for secularly trained staff and ADC courses for ministry trained staff
15		Provide incentives for theologically educated staff to gain training in related fields (i.e. Bible school graduates trained in Addiction Counseling)		ADC506 and MIN640 for secularly trained staff and ADC courses for ministry trained staff
16		Have worked with leadership to develop a Wesleyan Quadrilateral Staff Development Plan		See Wesleyan Quadrilateral Staff Development Plan tab and Example Wesleyan Quadrilateral Plan tabs in this spreadsheet
17		Has strategic partnership with a values-aligned Christian university (like City Vision) to provide values-aligned training to staff		How City Vision Helps Ministries Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift https://www.cityvision.edu/lp/partner/
18		Have documented a comprehensive staff training plan		Model Staff Training Plan (from St. Matthew's House)
19		Are participating in a community of practice of values-aligned ministries to share details on HR best practices		CVU HR Resource Sharing Spreadsheet & HR Toolkit
20		Culture & Staff Leadership
21		Have identified and are developing key staff to serve as thought leaders in the organization in key domains (i.e. Resident Historian, Resident Theologian, Lead Expert in Christian Counseling Integration, etc.)		Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Assess & Direct Organizational Culture Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
22		Intentionally manages culture of senior leadership staff to balance competence and values alignment		Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Assess & Direct Organizational Culture Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
23		Has increased training requirements/incentives/expectations for senior leadership staff to improve values alignment		Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Assess & Direct Organizational Culture Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
24		Conduct surveys of staff both for employee engagement and to ensure alignment of enacted values with espoused values		Road to Flourishing
25		Have significant spiritual development activities and staff time allocated to them (like chapel in staff meetings, Christian book clubs, Bible studies, staff prayer)		Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
26		Have a critical mass of leadership staff that would follow counter-cultural Christian values if popular culture turns hostile to your core beliefs in more significant ways		What is the Organizational Secularization Pattern and How to Avoid It A Typology of Faith Based Organizations
27		Have written and provide training in "Human Resources as Ministry" providing vision for how HR is a ministry and linking your HR practices to your values		Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
28		Staff Evaluation and Promotion
29		Staff evaluation process has criteria that relate to values alignment		CVU Staff Evaluation Form (as model)
30		Values alignment are a significant factor in promotion of staff		Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
31		Has strategies and/or policies to consider the collective values alignment of the organization's leadership team		Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
32	Policies & Board	Board Member Selection & Training	Your Response	Relevant Material
33		Selection of board members has same religious requirements as for hiring staff		Checklist & Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
34		Have some board members with expertise in preserving spiritual values and traditions (i.e. pastors, etc.)		Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
35		Has strategies and/or policies to consider the collective values alignment of the organization's board		Using the Wesleyan Quadrilateral to Assess & Direct Organizational Culture Building a Vibrant Culture in Organizations and Movements to Navigate Transitions of Recontextualization
36		Have significant training of board members in values		Develop Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift
37		Have a critical mass of board members that would follow counter-cultural Christian values if popular culture turns more hostile to your core beliefs in significant ways		A Typology of Faith Based Organizations Checklist & Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
38		Have used a tool such as Wesleyan Quadrilateral Cultural Assessment to assess organizational culture and secularlization risk		Wesleyan Quadrilateral Cultural Assessment
39		Have worked discussed with leadership implementing a Wesleyan Quadrilateral Staff Development Plan to improve values alignment		See Wesleyan Quadrilateral Staff Development Plan tab and Example Wesleyan Quadrilateral Plan tabs in this spreadsheet
40		Planning and Best Practices
41		Has developed a Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift		See Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift from MIN640
42		Has worked with staff to further develop Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift		See Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift from MIN640
43		Has worked with board to further develop Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift		See Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift from MIN640
44		Has implemented key legal best practices of Alliance Defending Freedom Ministry to protect against religious freedom legal challenges as appropriate for your ministry		ADF 10 Best Practices
45		Have developed a "founders intent" or similar document and policies related to it		The Social Entrepreneur. Chapter 9. "Staying True to Mission” and this example.
46		Have ongoing discussions with board members about this checklist and Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift		Develop Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift
47
48		Affiliation with Values Aligned Christian Groups
49		Is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability		Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
50		Is a member of and have significant participation in associations of similar Christian ministries (like Citygate Network)		Citygate Network
51		Is a member of Alliance Defending Freedom Ministry Alliance		Alliance Defending Freedom Ministry Alliance
52		Mission & Policies
53		References to religious nature in Mission Statement		ADF 10 Best Practices
54		Have statement of faith		Reviewing Statement of Faith Alignment for FBOs, ADF 10 Best Practices
55		Facility Use Policy		ADF 10 Best Practices
56		Statement on Marriage and Sexuality		ADF 10 Best Practices
57		Statement on the Sanctity of Human Life		ADF 10 Best Practices
58		Statement of Final Authority for Matters of Faith and Conduct		ADF 10 Best Practices
59		Emphasize Religious Character throughout organization		ADF 10 Best Practices
60		Code of Christian Conduct		ADF 10 Best Practices
61		Statement of faith is aligned with religious hiring practices and any critical mass strategies in ways that limit legal risk		Reviewing Statement of Faith Alignment for FBOs, ADF 10 Best Practices, A Typology of Faith Based Organizations
62		Systems & Procedures
63		Have elements of strategic plan, budget and/or KPIs that relate to ensuring values alignment		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
64		Have identified other systems and procedures to operationalize values (this is intended to be a catch all, that you can modify and/or list specific systems/procedures below)		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
65	Programs	Defining & Training in Program Values	Your Response	Relevant Material
66		Have developed a comprehensive document and training for staff in how your values are operationalized in how you do programs (see sample outline from ADC506)		See sample outline from ADC506 and examples from books: More than a Homeless Shelter and Meeting Homelessness with Hope
67		Program values document defines program distinctives across theology, worldview, root causes of common client problems and evidence-based practice (epistimology). (see Parts 1-3 in sample outline from ADC506)		See Parts 1-3 in sample outline from ADC506
68		Program values document articulates the role of Christian-specific interventions in programs including: prayer, confession, forgiveness, spiritual disciplines, etc. (see Parts 4-5 in sample outline from ADC506)		See Parts 4-5 in sample outline from ADC506
69		Program values document program distinctives in How Life Change Happens and How Your Program Works toward that. (see Part 6 in sample outline from ADC506)		See Part 6 in sample outline from ADC506
70		Has worked with organizational leadership and program staff to further develop Plan to Operationalize Values and Avoid Mission Drift		See sample outline from ADC506
71		Majority of senior program staff have been cross trained so Christian staff with secular counseling education take courses on Christian counseling integration and staff with Bible/ministry training take counseling courses, etc.		ADC506 and MIN640 to for secularly trained staff and ADC courses for ministry trained staff
72		CVU HR Resource Sharing Spreadsheet & HR Toolkit		CVU Program Counseling Resource Sharing Spreadsheet and Addiction Counseling Toolkit
73		Client Culture & Critical Mass Strategy		A Typology of Faith Based Organizations
74		Have created a document for clients that clearly articulates values, boundaries and expectations		See example in: More than a Homeless Shelter and HGM Program Information Booklet
75		Have defined and articulated clear boundaries and expectations for client participation in each program and program tier		See sample outline from ADC506 and examples from books: More than a Homeless Shelter and Meeting Homelessness with Hope
76		Follow requirements of client informed consent according to the American Association of Christian Counselors Code of Ethics in context that involve counseling and/or case management		American Association of Christian Counselors Code of Ethics
77		Follow all relevant elements of the American Association of Christian Counselors AACC Code of Ethics with clients in context that involve counseling and/or case management		American Association of Christian Counselors Code of Ethics
78		Have clients in intensive programs (such as residential recovery) sign agreements that tie into informed consent, code of coduct, client expectations and all relevant organizational policies		American Association of Christian Counselors Code of Ethics
79		Have written code of conduct that applies to all clients and inform clients of code (for participation in all programs or non-intensive programs)
80	Funding	Funding Policies and Values	Your Response	Relevant Material
81		Have defined policies of what type of government funding your ministry will accept or not accept (and other non-values aligned funders)		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
82		Have written and provide training in "Development as Ministry" providing vision for how Development is a ministry and linking your Development practices link to your values		Development 101, Spirituality of Fundraising, The Giver and the Gift
83		Are participating in a community of practice of values-aligned ministries to share details on program implementation		CVU Development Resource Sharing Spreadsheet and Development Toolkit
84		Funding Strategy & Diversification
85		Have diversified funding with most funding coming from stable, values-aligned sources with limited risk of loss		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
86		Church & Partnership Strategy
87		Has an intentional strategy to partner deeply with values-aligned churches		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
88		Has tiered strategy for other partners to ensure strongest values alignment in partners most closely tied to organization and programs		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
89		Critical Mass & Funding Risk Management Strategies		A Typology of Faith Based Organizations
90		Have specific strategies or targets that limit funding percentage of budget from non-values-aligned sources (i.e. government)		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
91		Have created a subsidiary with legal protections to accept government funding		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
92		Have created program segmentation with programs that will not accept government funding to avoid faith restrictions		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
93		Have developed partnerships with sub-contractors that accept government funding (i.e. Medicaid) that provide services to clients (clinical counseling) tightly integrated with programs		Developing a Plan to Operationalize Values & Avoid Mission Drift
94
95
96
97
98
99
100