Community Empowerment Research

We help churches, schools, and community organizations
measure needs of the people they serve,
set strategies to meet those needs, and
assess the impact of their work in service, training, evangelism, and outreach.

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Churches
Do better at doing good
Measure the spiritual state of your members
Identify needs
Are You Making A Difference?
How Do You Know What You Know?
Measure What Matters
Knowing and Truth in the Bible
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About Us

How Do You Know What You Know?

Measuring vs. Guessing

“The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know.” (1 Corinthians 8:2)

Philosophers today debate what is "true".  Plato believed in an ultimate Truth beyond the physical world.  Modern science was based on the idea that there is a truth to be discovered--independent of what the scientists want to believe.  Einstein, with his Theory of Relativity, did not believe that truth is relative, but that the way we perceive things can be relative.  However, Schrodinger and Eisenburg (two philosophical scientists of the 20th century) did think that truth is relative.  And modern physics has shown that what we examine (at the sub-atomic level) affects what we see.

From those findings in the study of sub-atomic physics, many people today talk about relative truth: your truth and my truth.  And how your truth may be different from my truth and both real. 

Whether you believe in an absolute truth or a relative truth, how you determine what you think is true affects what you see.  Maybe that is "true" for you.  And maybe it doesn't matter if it is "true" in some absolute sence.  But how do you know if what you see as true is really true or even if it reflects your clients' truth?  How you perceive the problems of your clients–and the solutions, may not fit either an ultimate reality or even the reality of your community.

The social sciences, especially sociology, psychology, and social psychology, have developed accurate, scientific ways to measure and discover what others are experiencing.  You can use the scientific tools available: accurate quantitative measures (surveys etc.) and qualitatitve measures (interviews and the like) and the use of representative samples and modern statistics...

Or you can guess.

Why Concretely Measure Performance?

Because “I don’t know” is getting too expensive.

And "I think I might know" is too chancy.

In today’s world, accountability is the watchword.

Pastors, Executive Directors, and CEOs are looking for relevance in all they do.

Donors are asking for outcomes:  Is the money being used effectively?

Boards are requiring greater accountability.

Bottom line: you need better information...

    To communicate impact.

    To make better decisions.

    To manage your priorities.

    To defend your budget.

In our world of financial instability and
constant change,
performance matters.


Community Empowerment Research can help you be most effective by:

      assisting you to define key performance outcome indicators,

      helping you concretely measure those key outcomes, and

      partnering to communicate the impact of your programs to key audiences

Measure What Matters

 

Our core goals include:

    *  Improve the impact of staff and volunteers' time and the dollars you spend.

    *  Demonstrate accountability to stakeholders.

    *  Strengthen your public image and reputation.

    *  Increase the confidence of pastors/management and the people who fund what you do.