Innovation Killers: Measuring the Wrong Things

Let’s talk about spreadsheets.

My undergrad degree is accounting…

I wish I could say that I’m young enough that spreadsheets were a big part of my studies.

I cannot.

Microsoft Excel didn’t exist when I was in college. I had exactly one 1-hour class on spreadsheets - it was Lotus 123. I just dated myself.

Spreadsheets.

You know, the ones we update monthly (if we remember), email up the chain, drop into some folder, and then quietly forget—until someone creates a new form to track something slightly different, and we do it all over again.

Maybe we have progressed past spreadsheets and now use dashboards. Doesn’t matter.

If you’re not measuring the right thing, you may as well not be measuring at all.

Somewhere along the way, too many people started measuring what was measurable instead of what mattered.

And now those people are stuck.

In my role, I have the incredible opportunity to work mission agencies, missionaries, churches, and other ministries all over the world. While I work for one organization, my path crosses a wide spectrum of Kingdom workers.

This article is a reminder—for all of us—to define our desired outcomes clearly…

And not fall into the trap of measuring the wrong things.

Defining the Wrong Finish Line

Here’s the hard truth.

Many of the metrics religious organizations use are just activity trackers in disguise.

Too often, we’ve mistaken inputs for outcomes.

We’ve equated busyness with breakthrough (see my post from June 25, 2025). Sometimes, the we’ve convinced ourselves that because we can chart it, it must be worth doing.

But we never stopped to ask… Is this actually moving us closer to the vision?

I’ve seen beautifully color-coded reports that tell us how many meetings were held, trainings conducted, shoeboxes filled, Bible distributed, videos produced, and prayer cards mailed…

But then I ask:

• How are lives being transformed?
• Are churches being planted?
• Is the gospel advancing in that unreached city we just mentioned in the newsleter?

Silence.

The Metrics Gap

Here’s what faith based organizations are sometimes guilty of:

• Failure to define desired outcomes. And when we do “define” them, they’re often vague (“greater engagement,” “increased impact”) or outcomes so lofty they’re impossible to evaluate.
• Emphasizing internal processes over field transformation. We track onboarding hours, how many people submitted their surveys, or whether a training was done. Too often, we don’t ask if people are actually sharing their faith.
• We measure what’s convenient instead of what’s critical. It’s easier to log a Zoom call than to evaluate the health of a church.
• Disconnecting metrics from mission. There’s no clear line between what’s being measured and what the missionary task actually requires.

A Missional Reminder

Let me bring this back to center:

If we’re not measuring our progress toward the missionary task, we’re just measuring the machine.

For faith-based organizations, every metric—yes, every single one—should point back to the missionary task.

When I say “missionary task,” here’s what I mean:

• Are we entering new areas?
• Are we evangelizing?
• Are we making disciples?
• Are we planting churches?
• Are we training leaders?
• Are we exiting to partnership?

That’s the scoreboard.

Everything else? Helpful only if it supports those.

A Few Gut-Check Questions

As we assess our dashboards, reports, and “strategic plans,” here are a few questions I’m asking myself—and maybe you can too:

• Are we measuring our progression toward the outcomes, or just the activity?
• If we are measuring outcomes, are they the right outcomes?
• Do our metrics align with the vision of seeing every nation, tribe, people, and language know and worship Jesus Christ?

Because if not…

Then we’re applauding effort, not celebrating fruit.

Final Thought

Metrics are not the enemy. But they make terrible masters.

If we’re not careful, we’ll end up managing ministry like a business—polishing our performance reviews while ignoring the reality on the ground.

Until we prioritize missionary task outcomes over organizational inputs, we’ll keep tracking progress that feels strategic… but doesn’t change lives.

The goal isn't better dashboards.

The goal is disciples in every people group.

Let’s make sure we’re counting what counts.

Because Jesus’ command is about transformation—not just activity.