Missional Metrics

One of the most difficult aspects of this new work I am engaged in is evaluation.  How do we know if we are being faithful?  In the older, more institutional, model the metrics were pretty cut and dried.  One was judged to be successful if Sunday morning worship attendance/active membership grew, new buildings were built or remodeled, and budgets continued to increase from year to year.  Missional churches tend to reject such metrics, finding them inadequate to evaluate true Kingdom of God faithfulness.  But that begs the question...how then do we measure missional faithfulness?  A new friend of mine named Hugh Halter who leads a missional community called Adullam in Denver, CO and trains missional leaders through the Missio (www.mcap.info) has suggested the following as a potential missional report card.  (In no particular order...)

1. Number of new relationships formed where I know their names and they know mine.
2. Number of people who have been uniquely blessed by me and my community.
3. Number of people who invite me to be with their friends who don’t follow Christ.
4. Number of ways, my street, neighborhood, or community are more livable because of my influence.
5. Number of Christians that are actively confronting their consumerism and making adjustments at the life level.
6. Number of Christians that I ask or persuade NOT to go on mission with us.
7. Number of incarnational communities that commit to form around benevolent action instead of just a bible study.
8. How long people remain at our weekly gathering after the formalities are over.
9. Number of community-based initiatives our people are supporting with their time or money.
10. Number of young leaders we’re intentionally developing.
11. Number of people baptized for the first time.
12. Number of Bibles purchased because someone asked for one.

I find these to at least provide a fascinating start to determing an authentic, missional evaluative tool for churches, particularly new churches.  Over the next few days, I will unpack each of these and offer my own thoughts as to their usefulness in determining missional faithfulness in my own context.  But let me tackle the first one today. 

• Number of new relationships formed where I know their names and they know mine

I find this one to be extremely helpful for a couple of reasons.  Number one, it moves us away from treating those who are not yet redeemed as evangelistic targets or possible recruits for membership.  A book I am reading right now, UnChristian, offers groundbreaking research from the Barna that charts the attitudes of those who are not followers of Jesus towards those who are.  One of their major complaints is that Christians always seem to have an agenda in relationships.  They are only concerned with making converts rather than building true friendships.  The authors of the book suggest, and I agree, that Christians need to pursue long-term, authentic relationships with others and see these relationships as the locus of God's saving activity.  It isn't about getting someone to say a prayer at a particular point in time, getting another notch on our evangelism belt, or signing up yet another active member for our church roll.  It is about being open to and cultivating the new relationships God is bringing our way.  As we walk alongside others in long-term, transparent relationships, we will discover that God is at work transforming their hearts as well as our own.

The second reason I like this metric is because it is indeed measureable!  There is some objectivity in play here and that is very important.  We cannot rely on anecdotal evidence or subjective feelings if we are to truly seek missional faithfulness.  There must be some standards against which we can measure ourselves.  So I have been in Sun Prairie for almost two weeks.  How many people at the coffee shop know me by name?  And how many of them do I know by name?  What about at the basketball court?  In my neighborhood?  As I walk through life, do I introduce myself by name?  Do I remember the names of those who introduce themselves to me?  This is where relationships begin.  This is where joining God on his mission begins. 

Comments

[Joel Adams]

Hey man, I like these metrics. Jerry Deck turned me onto your blog and thought I would enjoy your thoughtfulness and the journey you are on and sharing. My immediate thought is that these are the things we need to be measuring even in the traditional mainstream form of church. Makes me think of that bogus pastor's report I write for each session meeting detailing my work for the month. That thing is horrid. Perhaps I need to change it and add some of these instead. One question...how do you understand number 6? I don't get that one. Well brother, its so good to hear and see a Presbyterian guy out there living out the incarnational/ missional. Strength and joy to you and your family.

[Joel Adams]

Hey man, I like these metrics. Jerry Deck turned me onto your blog and thought I would enjoy your thoughtfulness and the journey you are on and sharing. My immediate thought is that these are the things we need to be measuring even in the traditional mainstream form of church. Makes me think of that bogus pastor's report I write for each session meeting detailing my work for the month. That thing is horrid. Perhaps I need to change it and add some of these instead. One question...how do you understand number 6? I don't get that one. Well brother, its so good to hear and see a Presbyterian guy out there living out the incarnational/ missional. Strength and joy to you and your family.

[Doug Resler]

Hey Joel-

Thanks for the comment and I am glad you are enjoying the journey with us. It is some kind of trip! I totally hear you on the pastor's report, actually had a conversation with another pastor up here this morning about sending an overture to our General Assembly abolishing the annual statistical report!

Re: point number 6...more on this in a couple of days but basically Hugh has had to have some very pointed, very honest conversations with Christians who start attending Adullam and then start trying to hijack the vision with more institutional concerns. They start demanding things like Sunday school, more focus on Sunday morning so they can "get fed", etc. Hugh lovingly but firmly steers them to other churches. I think this is an absolutely critical issue for our churches and will address why in a few days. Looking forward to the conversation! Keep it going! And may God's blessings be with you and yours!

p.s. drop me a line and let me know where you are serving, etc. I love connecting with missional/incarnational thinkers...reslerd@gmail.com.

[John Gulden]

doug,

i remember you from pts. i was a graduate in the class with jerry deck, et. al. (2003). i wish i knew then what i have learned now about the church, calling, missional thinking, and the like. i have run across your comments on the presbymergent blog a couple of times and thought i'd drop you a line. i appreciate your time and energy in thinking about different metrics of faithfulness. thanks for this post.

[Doug Resler]

Thanks for the comment John!