Attendance, baptisms, and giving are the traditional metrics we use to measure the effectiveness or success of our churches. They're also very easy to measure. However, some have pointed out that they don't tell the whole story - Reggie McNeal, the Missional Leadership Guru for Leadership Network, has suggested that the missional church needs a new score card to determine its effectiveness.

W. David Phillips has suggested an interesting (and a little edgy) score card with a more missional flavor. Here are some of his metrics:

1. The number of cigarette butts in the church parking lot.
2. The number of former convicted felons serving in the church.
3. The number of phone calls from community leaders asking the church’s advice.
4. The number of organizations using the church building.
5. The number of emergency finance meetings that take place to reroute money to community ministry.
6. The amount of dollars saved by the local schools because the church has painted the walls.
7. The number of people serving in the community during the church’s normal worship hours.
8. The number of times the church band has played family-friendly music in the local coffee shop.

Read the rest of the list

What metrics do you use? Do you have any non traditional metrics that you've found helpful?

Charity Water is (yet another) newish organization that is providing clean water to Africans by building wells, catching rain, and using sand filters.

They're not the first group out there to do this, they're probably doing the same things the other groups are doing, but their message is VERY compelling. Especially the video below. Watch it.

Perhaps the way you frame your message will make all the difference. How are you framing your message to  make it more effective?

It's Friday and that means it's Extra Value Day @ the Catablog. Hold-on to your wallet, we're cranking up the ROI this week!

1. A FREE talk from Donald Miller, Let Story Guide You - regular $7.95 (how's that for ROI?)

2. A newy resource from RELEVANT - Neue (pronounced "newy") - regular $45, $29 presale, HOT!

3. 3D Star Wars Hologram Thing - sweet! Billy Graham LIVE via hologram in '08!

4. Rent DVDs for keeps - a time release glue dissolves the insides 2 days after opening. From flexplay

5. 8 Part Series from WebUrbanist on Geurilla Marketing - starts here

6. Is Google Making Me Stupider?

7. 24 hour short film results - from the creative genius of Los Whittaker

Weekly Commentary:
Read the guerilla marketing series from WebUrbanist, it's really interesting. Have we become immune to regular marketing tactics? If so, how does this affect the Church? Are there any guerilla marketing tactics we can employ to advance the kingdom?