OC Research: The First Thirty Years

1. In terms of OC Research, what is the platform we’re standing on right now?

  • Research is part of our ethos.
  • We are known as a research organization.
  • Over the years, our teams have done many research studies that have helped raise new vision for strategic church planting, national missions movements, unreached people groups in Brazil, Indonesia, Guatemala, Bulgaria, Romania, Philippines, Canada, South Africa and more.
  • Whether our people understand their role in OC research or not, most accept the value of strategic information as a means to help fulfill our mission vision.
  • It’s an integral part of our strategic networks.

2. How did this research platform get built? (70s & 80s)

  • God wanted it built! He orchestrated it.
  • Grew out of the church growth movement
  • Has its roots in Jim Montgomery’s ministry and the DAWN movement in the Philippines.
  • Came as a result of a new mission vision statement, strategy, and four distinctive under Clyde Cook under the influence of key OC leaders (Hans Wilhelm, Jim Montgomery, and Paul Yaggy)
  • Paul, Jim, and Bob Waymire gave this part or our new strategy legs, energy and momentum.
  • OC developed and published the Church Growth Bulletin which had a strong research emphasis to it. (Ted Olsen)

3. How did it get established?

Larry Keyes (President: 1983-2001)

  • A scholar and researcher in his own right
  • Wrote The Last Age of Missions
  • The preeminent source & voice for the emerging missions movement in the 80s & 90s.
  • Strong supporter of research in OC

Paul Yaggy

  • Did research training workshops with Jim Montgomery
  • Traveled to the fields to do MBO & research training
  • Taught research in Internship and PEP
  • Pioneered using research to open new OC fields
  • Served as a mentor for OC leaders and researchers
  • For years led the OC Strategy Cabinet
  • Had understanding of what OC needed to do but expressed this in wise, quiet, godly ways
  • Strongest influence in the development of OC research as we practice it today.

Thayer Allison

  • Wrote the “OC Research Manual”
  • Developed a series of research case studies
  • Produced a newsletter called “Tips & Tools”
  • Created a diagram visualizing the OC research process

4. What is the essence of OC research?

Dual role
Internal – helps OC teams do their ministry planning

  • Aids in gaining credibility with the national church

    • >

  • Provides a framework for understanding the church and its context
  • Leads to an informed and focused strategy
  • Encourages wise use of resources
  • Provides information for evaluating ministry goals

External – serves the church

  • Makes apparent what the needs are
  • Raises the vision of church leaders
  • Helps the church understand its potential for reaching and discipling its nation and beyond
  • Identifies key change agents and effective models

Dual focus
Harvest field (contextual information)

  • Cultural
  • Historical
  • Geographical/Demographic
  • Economical
  • Political
  • Sociological
  • Ethnolinguistic
  • Religious…..
  • facts and factors that have a bearing on disciping a nation

Harvest force (institutional information)

  • What is God doing here?
  • How is the church responding? Are they even aware of what God is doing?
  • What programs and methods is God blessing?
  • What are the strengths/weaknesses of the church?
  • What challenges is the church facing? How is it dealing with these?

5. What have been some creative tensions these past 30 years?

  • A researcher on every field
  • External vs internal research
  • Everyone in OC needs to have “research eyes” at least to some degree.
  • Formal vs informal research
  • Realization of the vital role that OC leaders play in OC research.
  • Quantitative vs qualitative research (Hint: It’s both!)
  • Tension between headquarters as the clearinghouse for all information or research focused on serving the fields.

6. What is OC research as we practice it now?

  • It IS part of our ethos. It grows out of our vision, mission, and strategy.
  • We try to see the church and its context as God sees them.
  • Whatever research we do, we do as learners and as servants.
  • Research is more of a mindset for us than a role.
  • Everyone has a part to play, not just the “researcher.”
  • It’s very much applied research, so it gets messy at times.
  • Research for us is ministry and therefore often involves spiritual warfare. Research and prayer must go hand in hand.
  • We seek to elevate and enhance the insider’s voice.

Tags: