I love to go on long bike rides in the wilderness (which for Dallas means a small park with some trees). A while back I was at Oak Point Nature Preserve and rode up to a stationary map that showed the layout of the park and the different trail options. I was amazed at how many different paths I could take. I was excited to try them out, but there was only one problem:
I didn't know where I was on the map.
You Are Here
Unlike a mall directory, the trail map didn't have the "You are here" dot to show where my present location was so that I could move toward my desired destination. I didn’t know where I was, so I didn’t know how to get where I wanted to go.
For Community Groups at Watermark, our Community Core Values give groups a biblical “roadmap” or “directory” of what life together can, and should, look like. But how can your community group get where it wants to go unless you first know where you are starting the journey?
A Community Group Assessment
The Community Team at Watermark recommends that each group pause at least once a year to determine its “present location.” We call this a Group Assessment, and it’s simply a chance for everyone in the group to answer 12 questions about how they and the group are living-out the Community Core Values. This gives the group a “You are here” dot that provides an accurate picture of present reality. We also provide a guide to help the group get from where you are now to where you want to be.
If it’s been one year or more since you last assessed your group’s “present location,” contact your coach or director, so they can serve as a trail guide to help you move in the direction of your group’s desired destination! (Members of your community group can access the online version of our Assessment here…or they can download a PDF version here.)