Missional Metrics Part II

Number of people who have been uniquely blessed by me and my community.

This is the second "missional metric" proposed by Hugh Halter and the folks at MCAP.  I like it because it measures what I would call "output" in the Christian life.  One of the major problems we have with our current structures is that they only measure input.  That is to say, the things we seem to value have only to do with the growth of our particular institution.  We measure attendance on Sunday morning.  This is purely the number of butts we have in the seats.  We have no way of knowing why they are there, how intentional they are about following Jesus in their lives, what they are struggling with, how they are growing spiritually, etc.  We simply record their presence.  We measure increases (and decreases) in our budgets.  We talk about pledging units, tithes, etc.  We have no way of knowing if what people give is sacrificial or not.  In most churches, the giving is confidential which means we also have no way of holding people accountable in this area of their lives (even though I would say materialism and consumerism are some of the most serious temptations we face today).  Finally, we measure the size, appearance, and number of our buildings.  We pour fifty percent or more of our resources into a structure that is most often underutilized.  Futhermore, it becomes a sacred space meaning that usage must be restricted.  For instance, I recently talked with a church that had a beautiful gym.  One of the things they were most proud of was the fact that they would host Christian concerts for the community.  I asked them if they would ever consider offering it as a venue to a non-Christian band (this was in a community where venues were scarce) and they replied, "We don't think so, after all, this is a church."  And therein lies the problem. All of these metrics (butts, budgets, buildings) focus on input - how many people are coming "in", how much money is coming "in", etc.

But what about output?  What about measuring how much we are giving away or what kind of impact we are having on people's lives in our community and in our world?  This is the kind of "measureable" that God values.  Isaiah 58:6-7 says so clearly, "Isn’t the fast I choose: To break the chains of wickedness, to untie the ropes of the yoke, to set the oppressed free, and to tear off every yoke?  Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, to bring the poor and homeless into your house, to clothe the naked when you see him, and not to ignore your own flesh and blood?"  I want you to take a moment and imagine if this verse was all we knew of Scripture.  What if all the Christians in the world decided to take this verse literally, without equivocation, without compromise?  Would not homelessness end?  Would not hunger end?  Would we not find those who are locked in emotional and spiritual bondage being set free by the power of the risen Christ?  You see, that is serious output!  And that is what Hugh means when he talks about Adullam uniquely blessing others.  One of the major foci of this new missional community we are gathering will be output.  Is our community a better, more blessed place because we are here?  Over the next couple of months, I and others will be meeting with the mayor, city officials, going on ride-alongs (if they'll let us) with the police, etc. in an effort to find the tension points here in Sun Prairie.  Where are the margins, where are people suffering, where do we find the homeless and hungry and naked and poor?  We will then seek to incarnate ourselves into those places, to be among those people, and to bless them through our unique blend of gifts and resources.  Certainly we won't be able to solve all the problems in our community but we have faith that God can use even the meager offering of our lives to inspire others to join in.