Digital Mission Consortia

Research

Where We’re Doing the Work

DMC is not only a convening body — it is an active research community. Our current initiatives are designed to address gaps that no single ministry can solve alone, producing frameworks, tools, and standards that will serve the broader Church for years to come.

Mapping Spiritual Journeys: Frameworks for Understanding Spiritual Engagement

How do we understand where someone is in their spiritual journey — and how do we measure movement? These are not simple questions, and digital ministry has made them more urgent. DMC is developing research-grounded frameworks for mapping and measuring spiritual journeys, along with practical tools designed for adoption by ministries of all sizes. The goal is to move the field beyond reductive metrics toward a richer, more theologically faithful understanding of how people come to faith and grow in it.

Integrity in Impact: Rethinking How Ministries Report Effectiveness

How ministries measure and report their impact matters — to donors, to partners, and to the integrity of the gospel witness itself. In partnership with the 153 Collective, DMC is studying best practices in reporting ministry effectiveness with accuracy and integrity. The research will produce practical frameworks to help ministries communicate their work honestly and compellingly, raising the standard for accountability across the digital ministry landscape.

Faithful Technology: Resourcing the Church for Ethical AI

Artificial intelligence is reshaping every dimension of human life — and the Church needs more than a reaction. DMC is developing and curating best-in-class resources to equip ministry leaders, scholars, and organizations to engage the AI conversation with theological depth and ethical clarity. Drawing on a framework rooted in the missio Dei and a robust theology of human dignity, this initiative is building the advocacy infrastructure the Church needs to engage AI faithfully — not fearfully.

Church Multiplications Institute

Research

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Global Diaspora Institute

Research

GDI recently completed a comprehensive diaspora ethnography research on Chinese Christians in Chicagoland. This was in partnership with the United Chinese Churches of Chicago and is expected to be published as a book soon.

Currently, GDI in involved in a research study on Asian Indian Christians in North America (SICNA21) which aims to survey and compile an exhaustive database of Asian Indian churches and ministries in the United States and Canada. This project is being done in collaboration with the Federation of Indian American Christians in North America (FIACONA).

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Refugee camp_Global Diapora

The Chinese and Korean Study provides insights regarding the status of Chinese and Korean Churches in the Greater D.C. area.

— published by The Humanitarian & Disaster Relief Institute of
Wheaton College Graduate School | Dr. Andrew Lee, researcher & author
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Asia

Dr. Andrew Lee is currently in the process of completing the following research.

A study of Korean and Chinese churches in the DC-MD-VA area as part of the research team for Jamie Goodwin at HDI. (the report is forthcoming)

A national study of Asian American church practices as part of the research team for Innovative Space for Asian American Christianity (ISAAC). This is ongoing and we will have a preliminary report at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Religion/Society of Biblical Literature in November. This is a pioneering study as data on Asian American evangelical churches is lacking.

The “Model Minority” Myth in the Chinese American Church

Chinese Americans (and Asian Americans) continue to live in the liminal space of the margins. This is not to say that much hasn’t been gained in both secular and religious life. However, as the “model minority,” they remain on the outside, looking to the majority for guidance and direction in matters of church and faith.

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Rural Church Institute

Research

The Rural Churches Today Report

The Rural Churches Today report, produced by Lifeway Research in collaboration with the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Rural Church Institute, the Rural Home Missionary Association, and Grove City College’s Center for Rural Ministry, offers a comprehensive examination of Protestant congregations in rural America. Supported by funding from the Lilly Endowment, the study combines both quantitative data and qualitative insights to illuminate the realities of ministry in communities often overlooked in national conversations.

“While national surveys of Protestant churches include rural congregations, very few studies have focused exclusively on them,” noted Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “These interviews with a probability sample of Protestant pastors provide not only an overview of ministry realities but also a window into what pastors find both rewarding and challenging.”

The findings underscore the enduring importance of rural congregations within America’s religious landscape. Despite demographic shifts and economic pressures, these churches remain vital centers of faith, resilience, and community life. For denominational leaders, ministry partners, and policymakers, the report highlights both the pressing needs and the remarkable strengths of rural ministry, offering a roadmap for support, investment, and renewal.

Key areas explored include:

  • Pastoral calling and wellbeing
  • Evangelism and community outreach
  • Leadership development and service
  • Current successes and challenges
  • Optimism and opportunities for revitalization

In the months ahead, directors of the sponsoring organizations will release additional resources to help rural pastors and church leaders contextualize the report’s findings.

To ensure broad accessibility, the full report is available below and on our resources page.

Rural churches Today Report

Articles

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The-Drug-Crisis-in-Rural-Communities-pt-2 (1)

MABTS Journal

Renewed Interest: A Fresh Look at the Rural Church

Rural-as-a-Continuum

Rural Ministry Assessment_Part 1_People and Place

Rural Ministry Assessment_Part 2_Groundtruthing_Greene

Rural Ministry Assessment_Part 3_What Hat_Centrality and Saliency_Greene

Rural-Theology

RMI Annual Meeting 2016

One Hope: Rural Matters Strategy Brief – Final – 09.06.2016

One Hope: Rural Matters Presentation – Final – 09.2016

One Hope: Rural Matters Literature Review – Final – 09.06.2016

One Hope: Rural Matters Institute Conference Presentation (with speaking notes) – September 2017

One Hope: Rural Matters Advocacy Paper – Final – 09.06.2016

One Hope: Rural Matters – Amplify Conference Presentation – June 2017

Secular Research

Defining Rural at the U.S. Census Bureau

Research

Churchgoer Views of Prison Ministry

Churchgoer Views of Prison Ministry Study was conducted by LifeWay Research through a survey of 1,006 American churchgoers. The study is sponsored by the Correctional Ministries Institute, Prison Fellowship, Correctional Ministries and Chaplains Association (CMCA), and Kairos Prison Ministry International.

Full Report
Summary Report

Pastor Views on Prison Ministry: A Survey of Protestant Pastors

The Pastor Views on Prison Ministry was conducted by LifeWay Research. Its objectives were to quantitatively measure current church involvement in correctional ministry and to measure Protestant pastors’ experience and attitude toward engaging in ministry among those affected by incarceration.

Final Report
Summary Report

Jail Chaplaincy

Gathering information on Jail Chaplaincy is challenging because of the wide range of sizes, locations, and independent governing authorities. This study reveals that Jail Chaplaincy lacks common standards, processes, space, programs and terminology among jails. Variances reported are influenced by facility size and geographical location. The impact of religious services is measured by attendance rather than outcomes. More research is needed in the area of Jail Chaplaincy.
Report