To lead the Church effectively in 2021 and beyond, church leaders have the opportunity to explore new means of measuring what really matters during these unusual times. What you choose to measure and how you measure it will help to set the course for the future.
As our CPD churches develop content for their online ministry, many incredible things are happening. The Gospel is being presented in new and exciting ways and biblical teaching is becoming more accessible. Our workers are realizing that they can change and adapt; but with any change comes unique challenges. One of these challenges is how to measure ministry effectiveness in the online context.
Here are a few articles from leaders that address how we measure progress in this new digital expression of the church. Check them out! They are worth reading as a pastoral team or as a board of elders.
Carey Nieuwhof
Beyond Vanity Metrics and Algorithms: 5 Online Benchmarks Churches Should Start Measuring
Church Attendance is Dying. What next?
Christianity Today
Here are some follow-up questions that you may want to address with your staff or elders team:
- Does counting attendance matter? If so, how are you going about it with online attenders?
- Are you utilizing an online platform that allows you to receive data on watch times? If so, what do you do about low watch times?
- What statistics do you need to measure in 2021 that were less important in 2019?
- How do you measure what you are capable of doing in the future as opposed to what you have done in the past?
Note: Please do not interpret this as an endorsement of everything Carey and Christianity Today has ever said, written, or done.