A Research-Based View of the Spiritual Journey

REVEAL is a research-based view of how the spiritual journey unfolds, validated to date through survey input from over 235,000 congregants in more than 850 churches. The distinction of REVEAL is its ability to "measure the unseen," using a research approach that assesses how people's spiritual attitudes, needs and motivations align with spiritual behaviours.

REVEAL identifies a spiritual continuum comprised of four segements of people at different stages of spiritual development: Exploring Christ, Growing in Christ, Close to Christ and Christ-Centred. REVEAL's deeper value, however, is found in its insights about what creates movement along the journey; for example, which church activities, beliefs, spiritual practices or activities (evangelism, serving, etc.) are most influential to spiritual growth at different points along the journey.

Three Books

Published in 2007, Reveal: Where Are You?  describes the initial aggregate findings based on input from 5,000 surveys completed by seven different congregations.

A second book, Follow Me: What's Next for You?  published in 2008, expands on earlier findings about the four segements on the spiritual continuum by describing the spiritual catalysts most influential to movement along the continuum. The findings in Follow Me are based on the input from 80,000 surveys completed by people in more than 200 congregations.

Focus: The Top Ten Things People Want and Need from You and Your Church  compares the drivers pf satisfaction with the church and senior pastor (what people want) with the most influential catalysts of spiritual growth (what people need). Its findings are based on input from 80,000 people in 376 churches who participated in the REVEAL Spiritual Life Survey between September 2008 and February 2009.

A Spiritual Life Survey

The Spiritual Life Survey moves beyond measures like attendance and financial giving to determin if your church is really making a difference helping people become more like Christ. This anonymous, congregational survey is easy to understand, simple to administer and repeatable over time to monitor change. Its large database of 235,000 congregants from over 850 churches lets you compare your results with other churches.

Click on the icon below to view testimonials of church leaders who have used this assessment tool to impact their church.

Should My Church Use This Tool?

When it comes to spiritual growth, we need to be able to measure the unseen. Churches who use the Spiritual Life Survey receive an in-depth understanding of the congregant's spiritual attitudes, motivations, behaviours and satisfaction. The survey enables church leaders to track over time the movement of their congregation toward Christ, to see if ministry efforts and resource allocations are really contributing to the spiritual health of people in the church.

Listen and or download this free message given by Greg Hawkins - Executive Pastor of Willow Creek Community Church on Reveal, what it is, and how it aims to assist churches and indivuals in their spiritual journey.