If you’ve caught my last few posts you know that I’ve been revisiting a retreat I went on last summer with a bunch of campus ministers — the Summer Institute for Campus Ministry on Whidbey Island.  It was good for so many reasons, and in so many ways.

Our second full day on the island was spent with Ken and Jo-Ann Badley talking about campus ministry assessment.  It was a daunting task, no doubt, but they did a fantastic job covering a subject that I think we’ll all agree is both significant and challenging.

Ultimately, we all want to be involved with work and ministry that is satisfying… right?!

Effectiveness, and knowing that we’re actually being effective in what we’re attempting to do is important to finding true and deep satisfaction.

SO, here are a few quotes that were presented during the opening session that might serve as a springboard for some upcoming posts on assessment:

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting different results. ~ attributed to Albert Einstein

Assessment is meant to keep us from insanity — and repeating the same thing over and over again.

If something exists, it exists in some amount.  If it exists in some amount it can be measured. ~ E.L. Thorndike

Do you believe this? If so, how does this apply to a student’s spiritual growth and formation?

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts. ~ Albert Einstein

While I believe this to be true, I believe that those of us in [campus] ministry have often used this line of thinking to avoid any kind of assessment. Would you agree?

What do you think?

• Do you believe that satisfaction in our work is directly tied to “effectiveness”?
• Is regular assessment of our work with college students important?  Possible?
• Do you currently have method or process for assessment built-in to your ministry?  If so, what’s it look like?
• If you don’t currently assess your work and ministry, what will it take to convince you to start doing so?

Thanks for joining the conversation!