Comments on: Measurable Outcomes http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/ Releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 23:35:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Vicki Small http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1517 Vicki Small Sun, 22 Jun 2008 21:22:23 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1517 Hey, Mark! - Surprised and pleased, both! Yes, I like that "continuing dialogue" factor in measuring success in this area of church relationships. Thanks for taking the time to define this, for us. Blessed by and grateful for you, Vicki Hey, Mark! - Surprised and pleased, both! Yes, I like that “continuing dialogue” factor in measuring success in this area of church relationships. Thanks for taking the time to define this, for us.
Blessed by and grateful for you,
Vicki

]]> By: Mark Gehri http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1496 Mark Gehri Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:34:53 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1496 Vicki--aren't your surprised that your web question came to me for an answer? You are thinking along the same path that we travel in our new Church Relationships group--how do we measure success in serving our church partners? The easy answer would be denominated in terms of number of sponsorships or LDP/CSP/HIV support (as you hinted at in your question). But, from your experience in Tucson, we both know that churches come to us in many different sizes and various levels of readiness to partner with us in reaching out to the poor. So, our overall goal is to build mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with our partner churches in the US. We envision providing increasing levels of service to churches as the Holy Spirit leads each individual church to develop a vision for serving the poor. We'll consider it a successful relationship when we have a continuing dialogue with church leaders and together we're constantly looking for concrete ways to make a difference in the life of poor children. Naturally, we're all "in the business" of releasing children from poverty in Jesus' name--and the more the better, one success at a time. Grateful for you, Mark Gehri Church Relationships Vicki–aren’t your surprised that your web question came to me for an answer?
You are thinking along the same path that we travel in our new Church Relationships group–how do we measure success in serving our church partners?
The easy answer would be denominated in terms of number of sponsorships or LDP/CSP/HIV support (as you hinted at in your question). But, from your experience in Tucson, we both know that churches come to us in many different sizes and various levels of readiness to partner with us in reaching out to the poor. So, our overall goal is to build mutually beneficial, long-term relationships with our partner churches in the US. We envision providing increasing levels of service to churches as the Holy Spirit leads each individual church to develop a vision for serving the poor.
We’ll consider it a successful relationship when we have a continuing dialogue with church leaders and together we’re constantly looking for concrete ways to make a difference in the life of poor children. Naturally, we’re all “in the business” of releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name–and the more the better, one success at a time.
Grateful for you,
Mark Gehri
Church Relationships

]]> By: Vicki Small http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1391 Vicki Small Thu, 12 Jun 2008 16:50:10 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1391 Dave, I like your definition: Success = our obedience to God. Under that banner, I consider my efforts for Compassion, over the past year, to have been highly successful. If success for an advocate were measured only in numbers of sponsorships (and, as you know, to some extent it is) or numbers of churches brought on board as partners, then my past year might be chalked up as a dismal failure. But I have followed where I have been led, as closely as I have been able to discern God's leading, and I've had some wonderful meetings with a number of pastors/church leaders. Many, many seeds have been sewn, and I'm praying that God will reap a great harvest, this next year! As Wess talked about at the conference, last August, I just continue to walk in the direction He has pointed me. Which reminds me: I need to call another church. 'Bye! Dave, I like your definition: Success = our obedience to God. Under that banner, I consider my efforts for Compassion, over the past year, to have been highly successful. If success for an advocate were measured only in numbers of sponsorships (and, as you know, to some extent it is) or numbers of churches brought on board as partners, then my past year might be chalked up as a dismal failure. But I have followed where I have been led, as closely as I have been able to discern God’s leading, and I’ve had some wonderful meetings with a number of pastors/church leaders. Many, many seeds have been sewn, and I’m praying that God will reap a great harvest, this next year!

As Wess talked about at the conference, last August, I just continue to walk in the direction He has pointed me. Which reminds me: I need to call another church. ‘Bye!

]]> By: Compassion dave http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1386 Compassion dave Thu, 12 Jun 2008 00:39:09 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1386 We are successful when we are obedient to God. It almost sounds cliche, but imagine how 'successful' we would be if we tithed obedience to the Lord. Sure, in theory we're all shoot'n for 100%, but lets be real--if we will do one thing for every 10 things the Lord tells us to, the world would be such a grand place. We are successful when we are obedient to God. It almost sounds cliche, but imagine how ’successful’ we would be if we tithed obedience to the Lord.

Sure, in theory we’re all shoot’n for 100%, but lets be real–if we will do one thing for every 10 things the Lord tells us to, the world would be such a grand place.

]]> By: Kees Boer http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1384 Kees Boer Wed, 11 Jun 2008 22:57:27 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1384 This is a great blog. It's the love of Christ that constrains or motivates us. II Cor. 8:9 says: "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." If we want to be like Christ, we would follow that example. Also, to me, it doesn't make much sense to invest our lives on our own material possessions, when we will only be living here on earth about 80 years or so, which is about 25,000 days. When we invest our lives and resources in what won't perish, such as people and the Word of God, we'll reap eternal rewards. Kees This is a great blog. It’s the love of Christ that constrains or motivates us. II Cor. 8:9 says: “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.” If we want to be like Christ, we would follow that example.

Also, to me, it doesn’t make much sense to invest our lives on our own material possessions, when we will only be living here on earth about 80 years or so, which is about 25,000 days. When we invest our lives and resources in what won’t perish, such as people and the Word of God, we’ll reap eternal rewards.

Kees

]]> By: Vicki Small http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1382 Vicki Small Wed, 11 Jun 2008 19:54:22 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1382 Hmm...I got an advanced degree because I thought it would help me in my mid-life career change. It did, but I discovered other factors mattered, as well. I am a Compassion child sponsor and advocate because I can't *not* do both. Now...I don't see a measuring stick for success with church partnerships in the U.S. and our partner countries. How do you define success in that effort? Any one path of involvement with Compassion (e.g., once a year Compassion Sunday OR fund-raising OR LDP sponsorship OR CSP sponsorship), two or more means of partnering, or an all-out "We're a Compassion-supporting church!" kind? (And wouldn't I love to be the one who brings a church to that last phase!) Hmm…I got an advanced degree because I thought it would help me in my mid-life career change. It did, but I discovered other factors mattered, as well.

I am a Compassion child sponsor and advocate because I can’t *not* do both.

Now…I don’t see a measuring stick for success with church partnerships in the U.S. and our partner countries. How do you define success in that effort? Any one path of involvement with Compassion (e.g., once a year Compassion Sunday OR fund-raising OR LDP sponsorship OR CSP sponsorship), two or more means of partnering, or an all-out “We’re a Compassion-supporting church!” kind? (And wouldn’t I love to be the one who brings a church to that last phase!)

]]> By: Crystal http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1381 Crystal Wed, 11 Jun 2008 18:20:32 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1381 For all those reasons, I'm glad you do what you do. And that you invite us to participate with you as you serve in Jesus name. For all those reasons, I’m glad you do what you do. And that you invite us to participate with you as you serve in Jesus name.

]]> By: Kelly @ Love Well http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1379 Kelly @ Love Well Wed, 11 Jun 2008 15:42:29 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1379 Honk! Honk! Honk! Honk!

]]> By: Andrzej Gandecki http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1377 Andrzej Gandecki Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:19:41 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1377 Thank you, Chris. A part of my curiosity has been satisfied. :) Thank you, Chris. A part of my curiosity has been satisfied. :)

]]> By: Beth Ingersoll http://blog.compassion.com/measurable-outcomes/#comment-1376 Beth Ingersoll Wed, 11 Jun 2008 12:36:34 +0000 http://blog.compassion.com/?p=415#comment-1376 I'm glad you do what you do, for whatever reasons. I'll add to your success by commenting on your blog posts, <i>again</i>. :-) I’m glad you do what you do, for whatever reasons.

I’ll add to your success by commenting on your blog posts, again. :-)

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