Conversations: Metrics and Goals for Congregations

The Call to Action report said that The United Methodist Church is averse to metrics. We do not like to set goals and account for our progress toward the goals. The bishops and other church leaders recognize that our primary concern is souls. Metrics and numbers do not tell the whole story, but numbers do represent souls. When our numbers are declining, we are reaching fewer souls, and we are reducing our capacity to reach new souls for Jesus Christ and transform the world. When we do not set goals, we are susceptible to continuing to do the same things that are not working. Goals help us not only to measure outcomes but also to evaluate the effectiveness of ministries and strategies.

Q: What will we measure and why?

A: What we measure receives attention. Across the denomination, we want to give attention to and, therefore, we will measure:

Disciples in worship (worship attendance);
Disciples making new disciples (number of professions of faith);
Disciples growing in their faith (number of small groups);
Disciples engaged in mission (number of disciples doing outreach in the community and the world); and
Disciples sharing their resources for mission (amount of money given to mission).

You will note that these are, for the most part, not activities, but results, fruit of our ministry. Activity is not always the best measure. Measuring activity — for example, ministries done or people contacted — has some value, but it does not indicate if a congregation is achieving the desired outcomes or fruit. A congregation can be quite satisfied with its activity, but if the activity is not producing fruit, then this activity may be the wrong activity, [may be] focused internally only or may lack the power of the Holy Spirit. We are measuring the five fruits listed above for the following reasons:

While churches may measure different activities and results, we will have five common measurable fruits/goals so that we learn from one another and focus resourcing on achieving particular fruit. There is synergy and power when we do things together.
These measures are essential for the body of Christ. They were demonstrated in the Acts 2 church (Acts 2:41-47), and they are areas of a church’s life that are often described in the New Testament.
These measures are core to the values of United Methodism — building up the body of Christ, doing evangelism and engaging disciples in changing the world.

Churches will use the following chart to identify their goals and submit this chart to their district superintendent by the end of 2011. Bishops will present to the 2012 General Conference their congregations’ goals as a gift to the ministry of The United Methodist Church in the next quadrennium.

People and Ministry	2008	2009	2010	2012	2013	2014	2015
*Disciples worship* - Average worship attendance
*Disciples make new disciples* - Number of people who joined by profession of faith
*Disciples engage in growing their faith -* Number of small groups, Sunday school classes and Bible studies
*Disciples engage in mission* - Number of people from the congregation engaged in local, national and international mission/outreach activities
*Disciples give to mission -* The total amount given by local church to other organizations for support of benevolent and charitable ministries (this amount includes apportionments paid and support for all United Methodist and non-United Methodist organizations active in work such as advocacy, education, health, justice, mercy, outreach and welfare anywhere in the world)

Q: How will the measures be used?

A: The general church and annual conferences exist to serve Jesus Christ by resourcing and supporting the local church. The general church, annual conferences and local churches work together to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.

The goals, planning processes and strategic visioning for vital congregations exist to enable each local church to have a vital future in disciple making. Achieving goals is not an end in itself, but rather a tool to see if what we are doing is producing fruit. The actual process of disciple making, the means of grace, is our main priority. Through goals, we are attempting to help each local church be as strong and as vital as it has been gifted and to vision a future of hope.

The primary use of the goals is to provide opportunities for reflection and conversation for strengthening ministry. Appropriate questions by conferences and congregations include:

After working on your goals and seeing your results, what have you learned?
From your learnings, what will you continue to do?
From your learnings, what will you do differently during the next six months?
What training and/or encouragement can the conference provide to support you in meeting your goals?

Q: How is vitality measured?

A: Vitality through the Call to Action study was measured reviewing if a congregation over a five-year period was: 1) growing in worship; 2) engaging disciples in worship, in making new disciples, in small groups and in ministry; and 3) giving generously to mission.

Q: What if the numbers being received are not reliable?

A: Each congregation will measure against its own progress. It is not the intent to compare congregations to one another but review its own progress. If a church overstates progress in one year, it will need to reconcile this with its results in the next year. The fruit for a congregation will be available online, and laity and clergy will be able to review their church’s goals and results and ensure the numbers are accurate.

Q: How will churches be supported to reach the goals?

A: A planning guide and resources will be available July 15, 2011, online at www.umvitalcongregations.org. Conferences will also identify how they will support congregations in reaching their goals.