A BIBLICAL BASIS FOR EVALUATION
by Frank G. Cookingham
Director of Evaluation, World Vision International
800 West Chestnut Ave, Monrovia, CA USA 91016-3198.
E-mail: frank_cookingham@wvi.org
I sincerely believe that Christian evaluators of health and community
development programs need to immerse their professional knowledge in the
Scriptures. We can learn a great deal about the principles of evaluation
from biblical principles.
The parable about the widow's offering, Mark 12:41-44, illustrates several
important aspects of community development evaluation that are consistent
with following Jesus. I believe that they are relevant for evaluating health
work from a Christian perspective.
1) Jesus quietly watched people as they went about their normal activity.
His observations did not disrupt people, or cause them to act in unusual
ways. Useful evaluation takes place in normal day to day activities, not
just in special events.
2) Jesus understood the culture. He knew the ways of the people which
allowed Him to understand what He was seeing. The evaluator must have relevant
experience within the community's culture to understand the significance
of observations and information.
3) Jesus chose a lifestyle activity to observe, an activity that provided
information about central values for people. For the religious folk, contributions
to the temple treasury were related to their commitment to God's work on
earth. Contributions were related to the degree to which they trusted in
God's commitment to provide for their own needs. The evaluation should
include observations of behavior related to core values, especially those
which indicate love for God and neighbor in that culture. This can be very
complex, but it is essential for the community development evaluator.
4) Jesus related facts to each other to describe a relationship. Evaluation
works with patterns or relationships, not isolated facts. Jesus said that
rich people put large amounts into the treasury, while the widow put in
two small coins. Jesus did not describe the exact amounts for the rich
people, because the important comparison was not between the amounts given
by the rich people and the widow. The important comparison was between
what the rich had left over and what the widow had left over.
5) Jesus knew when not to be too precise. The strength of the conclusion
in this situation does not depend on knowing the exact amounts that the
rich put into the treasury. Quantitative analysis can be useful, but the
appropriate precision is determined by the aim of the analysis. Avoid spending
time collecting and analyzing information that is too precise.
6) Jesus reflected on the meaning of the relationship He had observed.
He related His observations to significant principles to determine the
conclusion. The widow had put more into the treasury than all the others,
even though the actual amount was only two small coins. And He gave the
evidence to support the conclusion: The others gave only a part of their
wealth, while she gave everything she had to live on. A conclusion is more
than the facts you observe. A conclusion describes what the facts mean
in relationship with each other.
7) Jesus made no recommendation. In this parable the disciples were
left to ponder His conclusion, and to decide for themselves what they should
do. Recommendations have a place in evaluation, but there is also a place
for encouraging users of the results of an evaluation to think through
recommendations for themselves. In general, recommendations developed by
stakeholders themselves are more likely to lead to appropriate change.
Some other Scripture passages which can be used to encourage thinking
about evaluation principles which are consistent with Christian values:
Romans 2:1-10. Much project evaluation work is focused on the results
of working toward specific goals. In this passage Paul reminds us that
God is more interested in the way we live our lives than our accomplishments.
Acts 6:1-7. This passage describes the logic of a rehabilitation project,
and some evaluation results. The results, however, are relevant to the
broader project aim than the limited project objective.
Matthew 6:25-34. The things that make people anxious are indicators
about what kingdom they want to enter. Evaluation can be an exploration
of anxieties to understand better how people are relating to the Kingdom
of God. Editor's Note: A fifteen-page collection of "Evaluation Meditations"
is available free of charge by sending a request to the author.
Jesus knew when not to be too precise.
- Editor's Note:
- A fifteen-page collection of "Evaluation Meditations"
is available free of charge by sending a request to the author.
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