Doing the Math of Mission: Fruits, Faithfulness, and Metrics

About the Book

Over the past ten years, the North American mission field has experienced dramatic changes, which in turn have required congregations, middle judicatories, and denominations to adapt. Among these adaptations is an expectation for clear goals and quantified progress towards those goals. Church leaders who have never needed to measure their goals and progress with metrics may find this change daunting. The use of metrics—denominational and middle judicatory dashboards, and the tracking of congregational trends—has become an uncomfortable and misunderstood practice in this search for accountability.

Doing the Math of Mission offers theory, models, and new tools for using metrics in ministry. This book also shows where metrics and accountability fit into the discernment, goal setting, and strategies of ministry.

While there are resources for research on congregations, tools on congregational studies, and books on program evaluation, there is a gap when it comes to actual tools and resources for church leaders. This book is intended to help fill that gap, giving leaders a toolbox they can use in their own setting to clarify their purpose and guide their steps.

Table of Contents:

Introduction
Chapter 1: Counting Resources and Measuring Ministry
Chapter 2: Getting to Why: Turning Intentions into Outcomes
Chapter 3: Phronesis and the Task of Figuring It Out for Ourselves
Chapter 4: Counts, Measures and Conversations: Using New Tools for Fruitfulness
Chapter 5: Cascading Questions
Chapter 6: Be Careful What you Measure
Resources
Endnotes
Bibliography

About the Author :
Gil Rendle serves as senior consultant with the Texas Methodist Foundation in Austin, Texas, and as an independent consultant working with denominational leaders on issues of change and leadership. Prior to this position he served the Alban Institute as an author, seminar leader, and senior consultant. He is the author of seven earlier books including Journey in the Wilderness: New Life for Mainline Churches and Back to Zero: The Search to Rediscover the Methodist Movement.

Review :
Doing the Math of Mission is a seminal work that merits a deep embrace by struggling mainline Protestants. Rendle challenges us to move beyond counting to measuring purposeful outcomes related to the deep mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ. The critical shift of focus from inputs to measurable outcomes which reflect clarity of purpose offers specific and concrete guidance to any congregational leader (lay and clergy alike) or any judicatory executive. Framed in a sound theology, Doing the Math of Mission provides crucial material to build a bridge to the future of God’s preference of the Church. Gil Rendle helps church leaders translate their hard work and good intentions into changed lives and redeemed communities by understanding the “math of mission.” He carefully outlines and illustrates how churches can move from activities to outcomes in ways that are both understandable and realistic. Gil Rendle has provided the church a useful analysis of a difficult topic. Congregations and their leaders will find what numbers motivate and what numbers do not. Rendle points to a system that can move faith leaders to a greater sense of purpose. As a denominational official responsible for monitoring our progress, I can testify to the incredible usefulness of Gil's work. By holding up the "competing truths" about measuring he allows us to move beyond the usual polarities into something truly useable as well as faithful. This work has already helped us transform our relationship to our Board, and hopefully our ultimately accountability to those we serve and to those whom we aspire to serve. Gil Rendle sparks a new and needed conversation about metrics and congregational experience. Do you sense some resistance? Well, it is worthwhile to manage your discomfort. The book functions as both a spirituality of evaluation and a practical toolkit. Pay close attention to the section on talking about outcomes instead of process. It just might change your ministry. Doing the Math of Mission is not for the faint of heart but the message is clear. The numbers show North American protestant denominations declining. For any pastor or leader, this is a painful but necessary book that can guide our churches toward a better future.