Several weeks ago, I participated in training new church consultants through Church Central's certification program. I loved seeing the excitement these men and women displayed as they talked about their desire to help God's church.

However, the churches they consult with may not be as pleased. A church consultation can be compared to a physical examination—we know we need it, but we don't like being poked and prodded.

Nevertheless, this process can prod congregations to answer examine important issues. Even if you are not a consultant, these questions can help you to analyze your own church.

1. Is the church's teaching based on the Bible?

Ultimately, a local church is a group of believers who proclaim, teach, and live out the gospel of Jesus Christ. Where that gospel is not taught, something less than a New Testament church exists.

An inherent danger in church consulting is presenting ideas and suggestions that will lead to church growth. Yet, the final product may focus more on "growing" than "being" the church. We must guard against that possibility by reminding churches of the importance of a biblical foundation, while also challenging them to do evangelism.

2. Is the church a praying church?

Legitimate church growth is a gift of God, who empowers His followers and draws others unto Himself. This points out another danger of church consulting: offering solutions based on our ingenuity rather than God's power.

For that reason, I want to make certain that the church focuses on prayer before, during, and after the consultation. In fact, I expect the church to enlist a prayer team that prays together during the study.

3. Is the church driven by a Great Commission focus?

Five times in the New Testament, Jesus expressed the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20, Mark 16:15, Luke 24:47, John 20:21 and Acts 1:8). Apparently, preaching the gospel and making disciples mattered to Jesus. These tasks must concern churches today. Many churches have become so inwardly focused they are more about protecting the status quo than about reaching out beyond themselves.

4. Is the church reaching non-believers?

Here, the possibility of overemphasizing numbers becomes apparent, but the question must be asked: are non-believers coming to know the Lord through the church's ministry?

If the church is growing, is the growth conversion growth (non-believers meeting Christ) or transfer growth (people coming from other churches)? Transfer growth is sometimes necessary, but it seldom results in Great Commission growth.

5. Is the church keeping the new believers who join?

Suppose your church reached 20 non-believers for Christ in the last year. Did you see a corresponding increase in attendance?

If not, why not? Is the congregation aging and several members died within the past year? Are longer-term members leaving as the church changes? Do you have a poor strategy for discipling and retaining new members? Or, more positively, did the church send out a team to start a mission?

Whatever the cause for the discrepancy between additions and attendance, the church must respond appropriately.

6. Is the church both locally and globally minded?

At the risk of understatement, the world is always bigger than any local church.

As many as 1.6 billion people in the world have little access to the gospel. The people groups of the world are now coming to the United States, as demonstrated by the nation's growing Hispanic population. A burgeoning population cries out for the gospel. Who will unbelievers go to in their search for truth if local churches are focused on themselves?

7. Does the church have a strategic plan for future growth?

One reason the devil readily succeeds in attacking churches is because he is often a better planner (Eph. 6:11) than most church leaders. He methodically and strategically attacks while most churches operate from Sunday to Sunday, ill prepared for his attacks.

In the same way, if God granted significant growth most churches would not be prepared for it. What would the church do if God sent a genuine awakening? Does the church have a compelling vision around which their plans to reach and disciple people are developed—such as facilities, staffing and programming?

8. Are the leaders committed to the ministry of the church?

By far, the most common problem we see in unhealthy churches is poor or unfocused leadership. Leaders who are not committed to a long tenure seldom lead a church to lasting growth.

These questions are just a beginning, but every diagnosis must start somewhere. If these questions reveal any weaknesses in your church, though, don't lose heart. Honest diagnosis is the first step toward prescription and better health.

In future articles, I will offer suggestions for addressing each of the areas covered in these questions.

Chuck Lawless, Ph.D., is Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth and Dean of the Billy Graham School at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He is the author of four books, including his latest, "Membership Matters : Insights from Effective Churches on New Member Classes and Assimilation."  Dr. Lawless also consults with churches on church health and growth and is an instructor with Church Central's Church Consultant Training.