LFAT
Loving First Assessment Tool
An assessment tool to help your congregation listen, love, and grow in your unique mission.
The LFAT helps your congregation or team reflect on and deepen engagement in six core spiritual practices that can guide any church, of any size or setting, toward a more faithful, community-connected life of discipleship.
These aren’t steps in a program or stages of institutional growth; they’re spiritual practices that form disciples and transform communities. Whether you're a rural congregation rediscovering your purpose or an urban church seeking fresh connection, the LFAT can guide honest reflection and Spirit-led discernment.
[1] Listening
Practicing spiritual attentiveness to your neighborhood and community
[2] Loving
Faithfully responding to real needs and opportunities that arise
[3] Building Community
Nurturing relationships of trust, belonging, and care
[4] Exploring Spirituality
Creating space for faith exploration and spiritual growth
[5] Forming Church
Cultivating communal rhythms of worship, service, and connection
[6] Multiplying
Empowering disciples and ministries to expand the mission of love
Designed for Groups, Taken Individually.
We recommend that congregations and teams complete the LFAT. This could be your:
-
Entire congregation
-
Church Council or Leadership Team
-
Church staff and key volunteers
-
Fresh Expressions Core Team
-
Lay Leaders, Pastors, and Missional Innovators
-
Any group helping your congregation discern its next faithful steps
You will take it individually and compare responses later collaboratively as a group. The tool works best with more participants. It’s designed as a learning metric that fosters honest conversation and shared discernment.
Ready to Begin?
Let’s Work Through It Together
Once you’ve completed the LFAT, we’d love to help you make meaning of the results. The Fresh Expressions Florida (FXFL) team is available to:
-
Host a consultation session with your leadership (onsite or online)
-
Provide analysis of survey results and a snapshot of missional health
-
Help you interpret patterns and insights from your responses
-
Support your team in discerning your next faithful steps
To schedule a consultation or learn more about how the LFAT fits into your congregation’s journey, contact us.
This tool is part of a research initiative in partnership with the University of Florida and is being made available to congregations across the state as part of the Florida Conference’s commitment to innovation, vitality, and contextual mission.
We’re honored to walk with you as you love first, listen well, and lead with grace.