Spiritual Transformation Evaluation Tool 1

Spiritual Transformation Evaluation Tool1

Check the response that best describes you in relation to each scenario:

1. Give, in some form or fashion, religious instruction to one of your children

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this

2. Lead or participate in a family devotion time

3. Have a “Quiet Time,” defined as a time of prayer, Bible study, meditation, or personal worship, done privately and individually

1 The following resources were used in the development of this assessment tool (Appendix D): Jerry Bridges, Trusting God (Colorado Springs, Colorado: NavPress, 1988); Richard Peace, Learning to Love God (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1968); C. Weldon Gaddy, A Love Affair with God (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995); Michael Harper, The Love Affair (Grand Rapids, Michigan: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1982); Iris M. Ford, Life Spirals: The Faith Journey (Burlington, Ontario: Welch Publishing Company, Inc.,1988); F.B. Huey, Jr., Obedience: The Biblical Key to Happiness (Nashville: Broadman Press, 1990). Each question in the assessment tool measures one of the three defined characteristics of spiritual transformation, which are love, trust, and obedience. Questions 1 through 13 attempt to measure love for God, questions 14 through 31 attempt to measure trust in God, and questions 32 through 54 attempt to measure obedience to God. 4. Think about God at a time other than when at church

5. Speak a word of encouragement to someone who was disheartened or depressed, or perform an action that seems to bring encouragement to another person

6. Sacrifice or surrender some personal pleasure, favorite activity, or preferred activity because of your relationship to God or because you believe that doing so pleases Him

7. Perform a good deed or act of kindness to another person anonymously

8. Grieve over a particular action that you felt displeased God

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 9. Marvel at the nature and greatness of God

11. Speak to God in intimate terms

12. Participate in the Lord’s Supper or Communion

13. Provide some type of material or financial assistance to a person in need

14. Share the plan of salvation with another person

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 15. Share a testimony regarding your own experience of salvation

16. Think about heaven and what it will be like

17. Accept the fact that one of your prayers for a personal need or situation was not answered in the manner in which you prayed it

18. Specifically ask God’s guidance in a particular decision that you need to make

19. Choose not to worry about a particular situation

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 20. Participate in your church’s visitation program in some form or fashion

21. Take a risk because of a specific or general conviction about God and His will for your life

22. Take food to someone who is ill, infirm, or recovering from surgery

23. Experience a sense of personal peace

24. Commit a painful experience or trauma into God’s hands

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 25. Give thanks to God even though you are in an unpleasant circumstance

26. Forgive another person because of your relationship to God

27. Thank God for making you the way He did

28. Believe that the Bible is the inspired, authoritative Word of God

29. Obey a scriptural command that seems foolish or unnecessary to you

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 30. Refuse to retaliate against another person who has spoken evil of you or to you

31. Grow in your love for God as a result of practicing such spiritual disciplines as prayer, Bible study, Scripture memory, fasting, etc.

32. Give a tithe (10 percent of your income) to the church

33. Participate in a corporate worship service

34. Memorize a verse of Scripture

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 35. Tell the truth, even though painful to do so or not in your own best interest to do so

36. Confess to God a particular sin

37. Participate in some type of small group, which is gathered for spiritual purposes such as fellowship, prayer, Bible study, or ministry

38. Reach out and seek to include a person who might be considered “an outcast”

39. Pray audibly in the presence of another person and do so specifically for them

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 40. Pray privately for another person

41. Obey a civil ordinance or law even when it is inconvenience or distressing to do so

42. Obey a divine commandment even though you do not feel like doing so

43. Do something that would be considered by most people to be beneficial to society as a whole

44. Do a loving, kind action toward an enemy

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 45. Ask God to fill you with the Holy Spirit

46. Guard your thoughts against impure or unholy thoughts

47. Keep yourself morally pure

48. Disassociate yourself from a person of poor character

49. Watch (i.e., be ready) for Christ’s return

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 50. Refuse to conform to the world and the expectations of society

51. Participate in the discipleship of another person and help them to grow in Christ

52. Refuse to make a display of prayer

53. Abstain from abusive language or cursing

54. Refuse to complain about a particular situation or person

___ I almost never do this ___ I rarely do this ___ I sometimes do this ___ I often do this ___ I usually do this 55. Seek reconciliation with someone from whom you have been estranged