We all want to know that our congregations are growing spiritually — that the time, effort and money we’ve invested is paying off and bearing fruit. But this fruit isn’t always something we can see with our eyes and measure with our hands.

Or is it?

It is possible to measure spiritual growth and assess heart change, says Mark Forshaw, executive director of the research firm Global Scripture Impact. The key lies in measurements that go beyond simple numbers.

“We’re trying to get people to think about measurement [as] more than counting numbers, and thinking that counting numbers is sufficient,” Forshaw says. Numbers can be significant when used in their proper context, but what’s really needed are empirical surveys. These tools get at people’s knowledge, attitudes and behavior.

Empirical surveys, in fact, are the key to unlocking the mysteries of the heart, says Scott McConnell, director of LifeWay Research. “It’s pretty much impossible for somebody else to see somebody’s heart,” McConnell says. “Obviously God can see their heart completely, but they themselves can answer for where their heart is at.”

Information gleaned from empirical surveys can be leveraged by church leaders to help people grow.

As an example, McConnell points to Bible engagement: a behavior with a statistical correlation to other attributes, such as obeying God or self-denial. These attributes can be directly improved through increased Bible engagement.

“By helping people engage in the Scriptures more, church leaders can influence other areas of discipleship directly,” McConnell says. Measuring the effectiveness of Scripture engagement programs, then, is an excellent way to help facilitate the real behavioral changes church leaders want to see in their congregations.

Willow Creek Church, Forshaw cites, went to great lengths to assess spiritual growth by using empirical surveys. What makes them unique is their use of expert social science tools and willingness to apply those tools to themselves. After the initial round of surveys, they followed up with three years of empirical social science assessments, restructuring their programs according to the data they collected. This assessment and redesign all serve the goal of more effective ministry. (See the cover story in summer issue of Uncover, Focused on What Matters).

Assessing the Church

The potential for empirical research to facilitate effective ministry cannot be understated, says Allen Reesor, executive director of Metrix Research Group. “Sociology and psychology [can] measure character and attitude/value change,” Reesor says. “If you did it longitudinally with an entire congregation of 400 people every four months — or every three months, even — you’re talking about an investment of maybe three hours every three months.” And you’d walk away with a picture of how your church is doing, and what you can do to assist in God’s transformation of people’s lives.

Some church leaders, however, are reluctant to avail themselves of resources that measure change. “They’re afraid of what it’s going to show,” Reesor says. They prefer to wait until heaven to see how well they did, he adds. But the tools are available now.

“Are you aware of your environment, and what God is calling you to do in it?” Reesor asks. It’s important that church leaders know what actually happens when they do their ministries. He cites Matthew 25, what he calls a “research and management” chapter. “Jesus talks about the wise and foolish virgins,” he says, “and the only difference between the wise and foolish virgins was how they used the resources and whether they actually thought ahead.

“I’ve often quipped that our problem in the Church with research is that we can blame the devil for our failures instead of accepting accountability ourselves,” Reesor continues. “And if it’s the devil’s fault, then we don’t need to measure.”

But many churches simply aren’t used to the idea of using measurement tools. “It’s a different type of activity,” McConnell says. “[Church leaders] want to do better in discipleship, but they really don’t know where they are today.” An assessment tool can provide that answer, McConnell says. “It shapes the conversation within the Church to say, ‘How can we together be addressing these areas where we need to be following Christ more closely?’”

Assessing the Data

With data, you will know what’s working, says Doug Lorenzen, director of marketing for Saddleback Resources, an arm of Saddleback Church. Lorenzen uses empirical data to track participants’ spiritual growth through programs, such as 40 Days in the Word. That data, in turn, is used to build better content and reach more people to foster daily Scripture engagement.

Saddleback, however, doesn’t track information by demographic, electing only to require a zip code and some other basic information. “We didn’t want to prohibit people from receiving the content because they felt we were asking for too much personal information.” Saddleback is careful about balancing the need for feedback with privacy.

“We’re called to put out good content for spiritual growth — not put off people,” Lorenzen says. Thus, Saddleback’s desire is to keep the process as simple as possible: Get the content, grow spiritually. Measurement tools should assist in — but never stand in the way of — life change.

Rich Houseal, who conducts research for Church of the Nazarene Global Ministry Center, agrees. The big question, he asks, is: “How do we know at a local church level if anything we’re doing is working?”

The Church of the Nazarene relies on data collection — which covers topics such as congregation members’ activities, social outreach, and church size and growth — to answer that question. It measures, for example, the effectiveness of Scripture engagement programs, such as Engage the Word, a three-year, congregational initiative. The amalgamation of this data helps pastors and church leaders dialogue about where they want to go and how to get there.

“That’s the hardest step — to take the data and then make some kind of action plan to get where you want to be,” Houseal notes.

Although difficult, it’s not impossible, says McConnell. LifeWay’s assessment tool provides some very tangible next steps that church leaders can implement after taking it, McConnell says. “Just by your sensitivity being raised, you’re going to be able to address those needs more directly,” he adds.

We all want to facilitate heart change, Houseal concludes, and data helps kickstart that process.

Tying assessments back to the Gospel, McConnell says, “Jesus would ask the right questions that would penetrate where people were spiritually, and he would teach the exact things that people needed.”

Empirical surveys, in some small way, can mirror that process and help church leaders do that today. “An assessment tool allows a leader to get a snapshot of where people are spiritually so that they can actually be driving home the application of biblical principles,” McConnell concludes.

This article originally appeared in the Winter 2013 issue of Uncover magazine.
Illustration by Timothy Walsh.