When taking the Congregation Assessment Tool (CAT) provided by Holy Cow! Consulting, we measure how satisfied members are in the congregation. It centers on the feeling of belonging and lack of discord. It is important to understand why we look at this to measure the vitality of congregations.
The word “satisfaction” or “satisfy” gets mixed reviews in the Bible. The Psalms speak of satisfaction as a way that God connects to people. In Psalm 90:14, the writer entreats “Satisfy us in the morning with your loving kindness that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalms 145:16 expands this thought to include other creatures: “You open your hand, and satisfy the desire of every living thing.”
In our work with churches and evidence in the database, we know that satisfaction factors are unique to each church. Overall satisfaction, when measured by congregation-wide involvement with the CAT, tells us what aspects of the church, pastor’s work and ministries contribute to the level. Churches with high satisfaction and energy are transformation and generally filled with members who have clarity about a mission that transcends them and draws them into a life where the Gospel is plausible and compelling…and satisfying.
(drawn from HolyCowConsultingblog.com)
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