Table of Contents
Fruitfulness as effectiveness and efficiency
Parable on the Cost of Discipleship and Parable of the Talents
Introduction
Last week’s post explored understanding an area in pastoral ministry. Today’s post focuses on statistical data and pastoral fruitfulness. In line with my Christocentric approach, today’s post examines the Christocentric foundation.
Fruitfulness as effectiveness and efficiency
I chose the term ‘fruitfulness’ to encompass both ‘effectiveness’ and ‘efficiency’. As the maxim goes, “Efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.” In pastoral ministry, pastoral effectiveness focuses on whether the priest is fulfilling the Church’s true mission and being faithful to the Gospel. Hence, a priest is effective when people grow in faith and holiness, the sacraments are properly celebrated, the sick are visited, vocations emerge, and the community as a whole deepens their relationship with Christ. As Jesus says, “By their fruits you shall know them” (Matthew 7:16).
On the other hand, efficiency focuses on how well resources, time, structures, and processes are managed. It concerns organisation, administration, budgeting, scheduling, delegation, communication systems, workflow, and the use of personnel and technology. An efficient priest avoids unnecessary waste in administration, properly organises the institution he manages, uses competent personnel, and delegates responsibilities wisely.
Since the Church is the Body of Christ and the mission of the Church is the holistic salvation of all, effectiveness must come before efficiency. Efficiency is to serve the mission, not the other way round. Yet, the two are important because a priest can be well organised (efficient) but spiritually shallow and unfruitful (ineffective). On the other hand, a priest can be very pastoral and fruitful (effective) but administratively chaotic (inefficient)—a reality which undermines his effectiveness. Efficiency serves effectiveness because, by organising schedules and administrative systems efficiently, a priest manages his energy and time, enabling him to be truly effective in shepherding the faithful entrusted to him.
Hence, pastoral fruitfulness is integrating the two because an effective priest needs efficiency to be more fruitful, and an efficient priest needs the spiritual foundation to advance the mission of the Church; in other words, administrative wisdom in the service of spiritual transformation.
Statistical Data
Statistical data is any quantitative information or numeric fact that has been systematically collected, organised, and analysed to identify patterns, solve problems or make decisions.
Numerical data is indispensable for pastoral fruitfulness. Yet one must note that while pastoral fruitfulness ultimately comes from divine grace, statistical data merely assist in fruitfully fulfilling the Church’s true mission.
The importance of statistical data for pastoral efficiency and effectiveness is grounded in Christ’s actions and decisions. While the Gospels do not present statistical systems in the modern technical sense, they reveal Christ’s attention to measurable realities in the service of mission.
Parable on the Cost of Discipleship and Parable of the Talents
In his parable on the cost of discipleship, Jesus emphasised the need for strategic planning based on statistical data. He gave the example of someone who intends to build a tower but must first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it. Jesus also gave another instance of a king who goes out to wage war against another king and must consider whether, with ten thousand soldiers, he can challenge the other king who comes with twenty thousand (Luke 14: 28-33).
The importance of quantitative awareness is also central to the parable of the talents, as is the principle of stewardship. Here, stewardship operates with data. The man, about to go on a journey, called his servants and entrusted his property to them. He gave one five talents, another two talents, and to the third, one talent, “each according to his ability”. The first two traded with their talents, while the third buried the single talent received.
When the master returned from his journey, he evaluated the servants through measurable outcomes that revealed the quality of their stewardship. The first two reported a 100% increase (from 5 to 10) and (from 2 to 4) in the amount they received and were rewarded. The third servant approached and questioned the master’s integrity. Based on this available data, the master called him wicked and slothful, adding that he ought to have invested his money with the bankers so that he could have received his capital with interest on his return. The talent was taken away from him and given to the one who already had ten (Matt 25:14-30).
In a similar story in Luke’s gospel, the people protested that Jesus said it should be given to the one with ten. Jesus responded using concrete evidence: “I tell you, that to everyone who has will more be given; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away” (Luke 19:26; cf. Matt 25:29).
The Disciples Sent on Mission
Statistical data also played a role in Jesus’s sending out of his disciples. Jesus appointed seventy disciples and sent them “on ahead of him, two by two, into every town and place where he himself was about to come” (Luke 10:1). This suggests intentional planning for the areas he intended to visit and the appointment of seventy disciples who would be sufficient to visit them. If they were to go to one place each, that would mean they would visit 35 of the places Jesus intended to visit. In the same way, Jesus sent the twelve not to the Gentiles or to Samaritan towns, but to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt 10:5-6).
Twelve and 70 are even numbers, suggesting a choice to enable even pairing and thereby foster pastoral fruitfulness. In line with the quantitative awareness of the people to be evangelised, Jesus noted that the harvest is plentiful, but the labourers are few, and encouraged all to pray that the Lord of the harvest sends out labourers into his harvest (Luke 10:2).
Feeding of Large Crowds
Measurable information was also central to Jesus’ feeding of large crowds. At the feeding of the 5,000, Jesus knew the number of people around and used that information to organise and manage the crowd. Hence, he commanded the people to sit in fifties or hundreds, numbers that 5,000 can evenly divide.
The structured grouping of the crowds demonstrates Jesus’ concern for order, manageability, and effective pastoral coordination.
At the feeding of the 4,000, Jesus said to his disciples: “I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days, and have nothing to eat; and I am unwilling to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.” (Matt 15:32). In other words, the number of days influenced Jesus’ actions.
When the disciples forgot to bring sufficient bread for their boat journey and were preoccupied with the lack of bread, Jesus used data to reassure them. Jesus said to his disciples: “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:17-21).
Conclusion
Jesus rarely acted without first perceiving realities on the ground. Obtaining statistical data was one way he did so. The use of information from this data contributed to the fruitful execution of his salvific mission. The Church, therefore, does not employ statistical data as an end in itself, but as a servant of communion, evangelisation, and salvation. When subordinated to Christ’s mission, data becomes an instrument of pastoral charity and responsible stewardship.
K’ọdị🙋🏾♂️
