In her short introduction, Lara discussed the limitations of current missional datasets, which often fail to adequately represent how high-orality-reliant people communicate and learn.
Orality is largely absent from tools and databases used by mission organizations. She expressed concern that this still isn’t in mainstream strategic planning to reach the unreached.
Bud started by looking at several examples of data collection in the Old Testament. He showed how Luke in Acts began mainly with quantitative data (3,000 baptized, about 5,000…) before focusing more on qualitative measures of church growth, such as disciple health, churches, leaders, geographic expansion, among others.
He argued that traditional metrics such as engaged/unengaged, reached/unreached, or the percentage of evangelicals can be useful but are too binary or one-dimensional to adequately describe what is happening among a people group.
Bud’s major proposal was Phases of Engagement, a more nuanced qualitative continuum that gathers information through culturally appropriate conversation rather than forcing every community into Western numerical categories. The phases are:
- 0 – Waiting: No known gospel worker/presence among the community.
- 1 – Entry: A believer is present and involved in some form of ministry.
- 2 – Evangelism: The gospel is being shared in a culturally relevant way.
- 3 – Discipleship: People have responded in repentance and faith.
- 4 – Church: Local churches exist within the community.
- 5 – Reproducing Church: Churches are producing new churches and sending workers.
- 6 – Multiplying Churches: Reproduction has reached multiple generations.
- 7 – Sustained Gospel Presence: Sustained, multiplying gospel presence and community impact.
These phases can better capture the local realities, because pressing high-orality-reliant communities for precise numerical estimates can distort the information. Moving forward, the Joshua Project will adjust to better capture relevant data that is easier to understand and incorporate into mission strategies, especially among the oral majority.
Lara is a Mission Information Worker who encourages mission leaders to support information and collaboration so they can serve more wisely around the world. She’s worked with Finishing The Task and serves the CMIW and Harvest Information Standards, while sharing as Co-catalyst with the Lausanne Movement, connecting people in Research & Strategic Information across the global mission community.
Bud Houston serves as Joshua Project’s Director of People Group Data, joining in 2024. A practitioner, catalyst, and researcher of God’s movement among the unreached, he served as a field missionary, city catalyst, MENA Affinity leader, and led the UPG North America initiative. Bud and Jessica homeschool seven kids near Dallas, TX.
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