Evaluative research

In what ways do people change? This is a fundamental question when creating any "learning" program, especially for a mission like ours that has the word "Transformation" in our vision statement. (See our Tagline in the logo here.)

Our Global Research Team sometimes uses the paradigm "K-A-P" to describe human change.

K is Knowledge – Did our ministry impart information that became part of the knowledge base of the participant?
A is Attitude – Did the participant experience Christlike change in the way they think or feel?
P is Practice >– Does the participant now live/do things in a more God-honoring way?

Another way to describe this is "Head-Heart-Hands" impact. As complicated as it sometimes is to do, OC missionaries believe ministry can improve if we determine if/how head, heart, and/or hands have changed because of what we do for those we serve.

Within OC we champion the idea that “Every ministry needs research.” This study from North Africa shows how partners are using evaluative research to improve their discipleship practices.

Fruitful Discipleship Practices research focuses on programs led by Arabs, especially Muslim background believers, in about ten countries, ranging from those facing great challenges to those leading fruitful discipleship movements. This research seeks to identify fruitful discipleship practices that lead to the successful planting of house churches across the North Africa and the Middle East. Three distinct groups are surveyed: leaders of training programs, leaders of discipleship groups, and disciples, when possible, to evaluate the effectiveness of the training. Surveys were developed in English and translated into Arabic and French. Data is being collected primarily by field workers. The information gathered is either directly entered into web-based surveys when secure internet connections are available or recorded on paper forms for later data entry when a secure link is available. The participating ministries will use the findings of this evaluative research to improve the fruitfulness of the discipleship training component of their church planting ministries.