Strategic Self-Assessment Guide for Missionaries

This self-assessment guide is designed to help church leaders support their missionaries through intentional reflection. It contains a list of thoughtful questions—divided into the categories of Personal and Strategic—that missionaries can work through on their own or in conversation with a church leader and/or field team leader. This tool is ideal for use near the end of a term, at the start of a new season, or as part of an annual check-in. The goal is to encourage honest evaluation, foster meaningful dialogue, and help missionaries stay healthy, grounded, and aligned with their calling and strategy.

Like any of us, missionaries can also drift from their strategy without even realizing it. Regular reflection offers a chance to recalibrate—to make sure their day-to-day rhythms align with the calling God has placed on their lives and the strategy their church has sent them to fulfill. As a church leader, your intentional care and partnership in this process can be a vital source of encouragement and clarity.

This guide is designed to help missionaries reflect on their personal well-being and the strategic alignment of their ministry. It includes a thoughtfully curated list of reflection questions in two categories: Personal and Strategic. These questions are meant to promote clarity, realignment, and deeper insight as missionaries seek to faithfully live out their calling on the field.

We recommend providing this resource to your missionaries near the end of a term, at the start of a new ministry season, or as part of an annual check-in. It can also be useful during debriefing, retreats, or times of transition. We recommend the following best practices:

Share the resource thoughtfully. Provide the reflection guide to your missionary with encouragement to use it as a tool for honest self-assessment. Emphasize that it’s not a report card, but a means of processing growth, challenges, and strategic alignment.

Create space for processing. Encourage the missionary to work through the questions at their own pace—alone, with their spouse, or even with a teammate. Let them know they are free to skip or adapt any questions that don’t fit their context.

Follow up with care. After the missionary has had time to reflect, schedule a follow-up conversation. This can be a space to listen, affirm, and explore any next steps together. Ask open-ended questions based on what they share, and avoid turning the conversation into a performance review.

Adapt as needed. These questions are suggestions, not a script. Feel free to customize them for your church’s context or for the specific season of the missionary’s ministry.

Part 1: Personal Reflections

Spiritual Abiding

• How am I really doing as a whole person—spiritually, mentally, and physically?

• In this season, does Jesus still feel near and real to me?

• In what ways has God been speaking to my heart lately? If I’m not hearing from him, what’s keeping me from receptivity to his love and affirmation?

• Can I simply sit in silence with him? When I do, what thoughts, emotions, or prayers rise to the surface?

Looking Back

• What were the milestone moments of this past year—both joyful and difficult? Have I taken time to celebrate the wins? Have I made space to grieve the losses?

• Where do I see fruit—not just in my ministry work, but in my character? How has God been growing me from the inside out to make me more like Jesus?

• Where do I notice a lack of fruit in my character? Could there be unhealed wounds or areas of pain that God is inviting me to bring into the light?

Emotional Health

• What was life-giving (“credit”)? What was draining (“debit”)?

• Am I genuinely happy to be here? If not, why? What about my family?

• What am I taking too seriously? Am I able to laugh at myself? If not, why? 

• Were there any situations from the past year in which I didn’t feel free to be honest and/or process my experiences? Why was that?

• Do I need help recovering from a traumatic experience or prolonged stress? 

Revisiting Calling

• Do I still sense that God is calling us to be here? Have I had space to process this with trusted people? Has anyone spoken words of affirmation or confirmation over us lately?

• Are there places I’m turning for comfort or escape instead of Christ? What might I be trying to avoid or run from?

• Are there any sins, struggles, or temptations that are obscuring my vision? How is God inviting me to confess and receive the forgiveness and healing he offers?

Tending Relationships

• Have I taken time to express gratitude to my family, teammates, and local friends?

• How is my spouse really doing—spiritually, mentally, and physically?

• How are my children really doing—in their hearts, minds, bodies, and education?

• Am I living in meaningful community right now? If not, what might be keeping me isolated?

• Where do I need more support or accountability in my life and relationships?

• How are my teammates really doing? Are there any tensions or unresolved conflicts that need attention?

• What is the state of my relationships with local friends? What might be holding those connections back from going deeper?

Looking Forward

• What words would I use to describe the past year? What words do I hope will describe the year to come?

• In what ways do I want to grow—personally, as a spouse, a parent, a teammate, and a friend?

• What books or resources do I want to engage with in the coming year?

• Where do I need rest—physically, emotionally, or spiritually? How will I make space for that rest? What about rest for my family?

• Do I need more time or space to process this past season? If so, how can I pursue further debriefing or soul care?

Part 2: Strategic Reflections

Recalling Vision

• What vision did my sending church have in mind when commissioning me to the field?

• What sense of purpose from God brought me (and my family) into cross-cultural ministry?

• Am I currently living into that vision and purpose? If not, what might be holding me back—and what needs to shift?

Revisiting Strategy

• Are there differences between my strategy and that of my sending church? If so, how might we bring those into greater alignment?

• Has there been any mission drift over time? If so, what contributed to it?

• Is any part of my current strategy unclear or unsettled? What steps could help bring clarity and direction?

• Were there goals or metrics set for this strategy? If so, have I met them? 

Ministry Priorities

• Looking back, what were my true priorities over the past year—reflected in how I spent my time, energy, and resources? Did they differ from what I had originally planned or hoped for? If so, why?

• As I look ahead, what priorities need to guide me in the coming year—so I can be intentional and proactive, rather than just reactive?

Relational Priorities

• Are my teammates following through on the commitments they made to me? If not, have I had honest conversations with them about it?

• Is my sending church living out its commitments to me? If there are gaps, have I communicated my needs clearly?

• Is my missions organization providing the support and care it promised? If not, have I brought those concerns to light?

• Are my supporters staying engaged and faithful in their commitments? Have I kept the lines of communication open with them?

• Has our missions organization taken the role and responsibilities of our sending church? If so, what adjustments might help bring better balance and alignment?

Cultural Priorities

• How is my language and culture acquisition going? In what areas do I still need to grow or seek more help?

• Am I learning to listen well—not just to words, but to values, stories, and emotions within this culture?

• How meaningful are my relationships with local friends and ministry partners?

• If they were asked, how would they describe their relationship with me? Would they feel known, respected, and valued?

• What steps could help me build deeper trust and connection with nationals in the months ahead?

Recognizing Threats

• Are there any foreseeable threats or obstacles that could hinder the work we’ve been called to?

• Are there any areas where we might be cutting corners or compromising integrity—intentionally or unintentionally?

• What steps can we take to stay grounded, accountable, and faithful in the midst of challenges?

Embracing Opportunities

• Are there any upcoming opportunities that deserve focused attention or strategic planning in this next season?

• Where are we seeing signs of fruit—whether in people, relationships, or growth in our own lives?

• Have we taken time to acknowledge, share, and celebrate what God is doing through this work?

Part 3: Final Reflections

• In light of my personal reflections, what practical next steps do I need to take? 

• In light of my strategic reflections, what practical next steps do I need to take? 

• How should I prioritize this list? 

• With whom do I need to process these reflections and ask for help? 

Next Steps

The journey toward sending well happens one step at a time. As a church leader, here are three next steps you might consider as part of (and in addition to) utilizing this resource:

1. After asking a missionary to self-assess with this resource’s reflection questions, set up a time to process their answers together. Consider what steps you can help them take, and make a plan to continue providing encouragement and accountability along the way.

2. Read chapter 13 in The Sending Church Applied for an overview of helping your church and missionaries maintain strategic focus.

3. If you’d like for your missionaries to conduct a more simplified annual review in order to maintain relationship and avoid mission drift, see our resource “Annual Review for Missionaries”.