In this episode of the Rebuilt Parish Podcast, Brandon Hollern returns to unpack a topic many parish leaders avoid - but can’t afford to ignore: metrics. Brandon reframes parish numbers not as cold data points, but as indicators of real people, real stories, and real souls.
Drawing from his experience at Church of the Nativity, Brandon explains how tracking attendance, giving, small groups, and serving helps leadership teams shepherd people more intentionally along a discipleship path. The conversation explores how metrics reveal what’s working, where growth is needed, and how parishes can respond with pastoral care rather than fear.
If you’ve ever worried that tracking numbers feels “too business-like,” this episode offers a renewed perspective: numbers matter because people count - and faithful stewardship requires clarity, consistency, and courage.
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Key Takeaways:
- Metrics matter because people count. Every number represents a real person with a story, a soul, and a place on the discipleship pathway.
- Tracking numbers is an act of pastoral care, not a business practice. Metrics help leaders see who is engaged, who may be drifting, and where care or attention is needed.
- You can’t lead what you don’t measure. Attendance, giving, small groups, and serving provide directional clarity about whether your parish is helping people grow.
- Downward trends are not failures. They are invitations to respond, adjust, and shepherd more intentionally.
- Consistency matters more than sophistication. Start simple, track weekly, and build habits over time rather than waiting for a perfect system.
- Small groups and serving fuel discipleship and stewardship. Data consistently shows that engaged parishioners grow spiritually and give more generously.
- Volunteer metrics help leaders care for ministers, not just deploy them. Tracking service participation allows parishes to notice burnout, life changes, and moments for encouragement.
- Dashboards align the entire staff around the mission. Shared visibility reinforces that making disciples is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of role or title.
- Numbers tell stories when paired with context. Weather, seasons, life events, and parish rhythms all matter when interpreting data.
- Start where you are and grow from there. Even basic tracking can spark better conversations, clearer priorities, and more faithful leadership over time.
Episode Chapters
- 00:00 – Why metrics matter because people count
- 01:09 – When Brandon realized metrics are about shepherding people
- 02:11 – Using data to inform future parish decisions
- 03:07 – Overcoming the fear that metrics feel too business-like
- 04:04 – Using metrics to evaluate what’s working (and celebrate wins)
- 05:22 – When numbers trend down—and why that’s not a failure
- 06:24 – How Nativity identified a decline in serving and responded
- 07:29 – Where parishes should start with tracking metrics
- 09:00 – How Nativity tracks Mass attendance at scale
- 10:53 – Accounting for context (snowstorms, livestreams, anomalies)
- 13:50 – What small-group metrics reveal about discipleship
- 15:16 – Using data to trigger pastoral care, not just reports
- 17:16 – Tracking volunteer engagement and caring for ministers
- 20:03 – Reframing offertory as trust, commitment, and spiritual growth
- 21:57 – Why groups and serving lead to healthier parish finances
- 25:12 – Nativity’s weekly rhythm for collecting and reviewing metrics
- 27:04 – Dashboards as a discipleship alignment tool for staff
- 28:11 – Practical first steps for parishes just getting started
- 30:52 – Consistency over time: the long view of parish renewal
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Parish metrics, church data, Catholic parish leadership, discipleship tracking, church attendance, offertory trends, small groups ministry, volunteer engagement, parish dashboards, church analytics, pastoral care systems, Rebuilt Parish, Church of the Nativity, ministry metrics, parish renewal, making disciples, parish operations, faith and data, church leadership tools
