Quotes about Research and Statistics

The right information, in the right hands, at the right time has a powerful effect. - Bob Waymire

Yesterday’s truth can be today’s fiction in these dynamic times. . - Bob Waymire

If the Body of Christ does not have readily available, accurate, up-to-date information about both the harvest fields and the harvest force, it will lose sight of its long-range goal, expend its energies and resources in many good deeds, leave many harvest fields untouched, and return empty handed out of others. Millions will remain in bondage and never experience the powerful, life-changing love and care of our Lord Jesus Christ. . - Bob Waymire

However-when the Body of Christ has the facts (light) it needs, it will then be possible to reach the potential of making disciples of all nations, see whole societies liberated from bondage, and see Jesus Christ incarnate in every segment of society showing forth His loving care, truth and redemption. The Kingdom of Light will shine forth in victory. . - Bob Waymire

Without accurate, up-to-date information the Body of Christ in a nation is “flying blind”. Meaningful planning and resource allocations are in jeopardy as are effective evangelism and church-planting. But where there is a national level information research function, and a service for getting information into the hands of those who need it, both the Church within the nation and outside can better reach the potential in qualitative and quantitative growth. . - Bob Waymire

Having accurate, up-to-date, relevant information – in the right form – in the right hands –at the right time, does not guarantee you will have success in reaching the potential in any given endeavor. But you can’t get there without it. - Bob Waymire

Ignorance and lack of information about what is happening around the world and what trends are taking place in the mission movement, keep the people of God immobilized. We need to consistently inform and raise people’s awareness and understanding concerning how the Holy Spirit is moving toward global harvest and how every disciple can become involved. Ryan Shaw, Student Volunteer Movement 2

Research is not something unspiritual or irrelevant to the business of ministry. It is rather the essential foundation for strategic, effective ministry. - John Robb, World Vision

Proverbs 18:13 (Living Bible) “What a shame – yes, how stupid-to decide before knowing the facts.”

The church is made of countable people and there is nothing spiritual or non-spiritual in counting them nor not counting them. Men use the numerical approach in all worthwhile human endeavor: industry, commerce, finance, research, government, invention and a thousand other lines of enterprise and derive great profit and much of their stability and development from continual measurement. Without it, they would feel helpless and blindfolded… without it, effective administration and accurate forecasts would be impossible. - Donald McGavran, Understanding Church Growth

Gathering enough of the right kind of data and giving it careful analysis and interpretation can be an immense help in the task of making disciples of all nations….In my mind, this type of church growth research can be boiled down to the simple need to know and understand how the wind of the Spirit is blowing over both the society and the Church in order to enhance our effectiveness in regard to our evangelistic mandate. From this understanding we can then get a more accurate picture of what the Spirit would want to accomplish through his Church in the succeeding months and years. - Jim Montgomery in DAWN 2000

There are three kinds of lies; Lies damned lies and statistics. - Mark Twain, also attributed to Benjamin Disraeli & others

Facts are stubborn, but statistics are more pliable. Mark Twain

It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so. - Mark Twain.

Be able to analyze statistics, which can be used to support or undercut almost any argument. - Marilyn vos Savant

Research can help to continually sharpen our focus, improve our methods, and stimulate our creativity. -OC Missionary.

Ask the right questions
to the right number of the right people
using the right approach in the right setting
in order to get fresh insight
leading toward creative recommendations and actions
according to God’s will and for his glory. (cf. Phil. 1:9-11)
Stan Nessbaum