Olive Glossary

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Accountability

Accountability, in the context of SPMM, refers to the duty to demonstrate that work has been conducted in compliance with agreed standards and to report fairly and accurately on the results of programs with the persecuted church.

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Activity

An activity refers to the actions/tasks that are carried out in the course of the program. In an activity inputs are transferred into ‘outputs’ (Direct Effects in SPMM), so to produce higher level results.

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Assessment (phase)

Definition depends on final Assessment 3-5 pager

Assessment involves the thorough and systematic collection and analysis of information on context, church and field organization in order to develop a substantiated strategy with the persecuted church and support a program design in which all relevant factors are considered.

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Assumptions

An assumption is a belief of what you assume to be true in the future. Assumptions are based on knowledge, experience or information available on hand. It relates to anticipated events or circumstances that are expected to occur during your project’s life cycle.

Assumptions are supposed to be true but do not necessarily end up being true. Sometimes, they may turn out to be false, which can affect a program and its results significantly.

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Attribution

Attribution refers to the extent to which the changes we observe within the church can be attributed to a particular intervention. It requires understanding whether the result was the effect of a certain project or program and what the influence from other factors has been.

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Beneficiary (direct and indirect)

Beneficiaries, also called target group or the target beneficiaries, are those who will benefit from a project or program. They are the people whose circumstances you want to change by implementing your idea. They can be affected directly or indirectly by the project.

A direct beneficiary, sometimes called a primary beneficiary, is someone who is directly involved with a project or program and benefits from it. Depending on the project/program this could be people who participated in a training, students of the school that is built or women who receive livestock. The important thing is that the direct beneficiaries are connected with the project. Since they are so closely intertwined with the project, direct beneficiaries should be easy to count and describe.

An indirect beneficiary, sometimes called a secondary beneficiary, is someone who is not directly connected with the project, but will still benefit from it. This could be other members of the community or from the area or family members of the participants. Most projects are not

planned around indirect beneficiaries, and so they are more difficult to describe precisely.

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Bias

Response bias is a research term that describes a simple issue: People don’t always answer surveys honestly and accurately. This can obviously skew research data and bring the wrong results. Response bias is the result of natural human traits, usually it doesn’t happen on purpose. Understanding response bias can help you to write better surveys to collect accurate and reliable data.

Further elaborated later…

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Church

The word ‘church’ can have different meanings:

•                 A group of Christians that form the church: the congregation.

•                 A denomination. For example, the Coptic Orthodox Church.

•                 A group of churches. For example, the evangelical churches in Columbia.

•                 A specific target group church. For example the Presbyterian Evangelical church in Upper Egypt

There is a wide range of opinion over just what constitutes a functioning, New Testament Church. Generally, however, it would have to be agreed that the statement of Christ in Matthew 18 gives a minimum description: “Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:19-20)

Beyond this, the question is how much organization is needed for this group to be considered a church and not simply an accidental gathering? One would suspect that the amount of organization needed would vary depending upon the number of people that have gathered together. If it is a small group, the organizational needs would be minimal. The larger the group, the more complex the organization will have to become to insure that all the needs are being met. As an example, consider the calling of the seven to help in the distribution of food to the poor Hellenized Jews that were apparently being neglected (Acts 6:1-4).

One might give, as a minimum, the following as indications that a local church has come into existence:

•                 Regular called meetings. The early church met together on a regular basis for “the breaking of bread, fellowship, and instruction” (Acts 2:42)

•                 The membership is made up of those who are Christians, that is, those who have made a profession of faith and have been baptized (Acts 2:41, Romans 10:9-10).

•                 Devotion to one another, that is a level of commitment to one another and the group which raises the gathering above an informal “getting together”. (Romans 12:10, 1 Corinthians 16:15).

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Compliance

Compliance is either a state of being in accordance with established guidelines or specifications, or the process of becoming so. The definition of compliance can also encompass efforts to ensure that organizations are abiding by both industry regulations and government legislation.

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Consistency

Consistency (in Monitoring context) is about a level of constancy in delivering our results. Do similar activities over time achieve more or less the same results? Are they being done the same way or following the same standards? If results deviate significantly under similar circumstances it indicates efficiency and reliability issues in the delivery of the particular activities.

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Context

The situation within which something exists or happens, and that can help explain it. In SPMM it refers to the environment the church and field teams operate in. For example, the country/regional situation (PREST elements) and the presence of stakeholders and partners.

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Critical Issue

A critical issue is a primary issue within the persecuted church that a field considers extremely important and which may determine the survival/resilience of the church in persecution context.

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Design (phase)

Definition depends on final Assessment 3-5 pager

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Direct Effect

Direct Effects are the short term results which are achieved immediately after implementing the activity.

For example, if the activity is a series of literacy trainings in which 200 women participate, the Direct Effect might be defined as: 150 women have increased capacity to read and write. This is the immediate result of the activity, it is achieved right after the conclusion of training(s).

•                 Training: a group of people or an organization has increased awareness, understanding, knowledge, skills or capacity as a direct result of our organization’s support. Or a seminary has included certain topics in it’s curriculum as a direct result of our activity.

•                 Distribution: Materials developed or distributed as a direct result of our organization’s support.

•                 SED: Income Generating Activities (IGA) successfully started, relief packages distributed, clinics have been built or church buildings repaired as a direct result of our organization’s support.

In the analogy of the stones (activities) that are being thrown into the water (the church), the Direct Effect like is the splash the stone causes: it’s the immediate result of our activities. The result is to a large extent within our (or our partners) scope of control.

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Effectiveness

Effective refers to being adequate to accomplish a purpose; producing the intended or expected result. It’s about doing the right task, completing activities and achieving goals.

The word effective focuses on whether or not something is accomplished. It doesn’t focus on how something is done (that is where efficiency comes in), but rather, if it is done at all.

Effectiveness and efficiency are sometimes confused. The difference between the two can be summed up shortly: Being effective is about doing the right things, while being efficient is about doing things right.

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Efficiency

Efficient refers to performing or functioning in the best possible manner with the least waste of time and effort. It focuses on how

how something is done. Was it done with little waste or expense? For example doing it the fastest or in the least expensive way. It could be that a certain activity was the wrong thing to do (that’s where effectiveness comes in), but it was done optimally.

Effectiveness and efficiency are sometimes confused. The difference between the two can be summed up shortly: Being effective is about doing the right things, while being efficient is about doing things right.

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Evaluation (phase)

Definition depends on final Assessment 3-5 pager

Evaluation measures how well an intervention has met the expected results and/or the extent to which the intervention contributed to the change that was aimed for. It tells the story about the impacts produced through the program – positive and negative, intended and unintended.

A program evaluation documents and explains the causes as to why the program and its activities succeeded or failed. It provides information that is credible and useful, enabling the incorporation of lessons learned into the decision-making process. Such documentation can help in making future programs more relevant and effective.

Plus further elaboration on ‘three universal evaluation questions’: see 3-5 pager

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Reflective Process

A Reflective Process refers to a team effort to identify results/fruits, challenges and lessons learned at the end of the program implementation by engaging with the implementing staff, partners and other relevant stakeholders. A Reflective Process aims to generate learnings for improvement of future programs. However, due to the limited scope and different methodology it cannot qualify as a formal Evaluation and as such it is good to distinguish the two approaches and name them differently.

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(Strategic) Impact

The strategic impact is the long-term result that came about because of the activities delivered in a program. Impact is usually defined in terms of societal/community level changes (rather than individual changes1) that eventually result from an intervention. This change can be positive or negative, intended or unintended. Whilst impact can in itself be a temporarily change, a strategic impact will by nature only refer to lasting change.

In our ministry strategic impact refers to a lasting change in the state of the church, being more resilient in the face of persecution. Our reason of existence is in strengthening the persecuted church: Strengthen what remains and is about to die, Rev. 3:2. As such, in our context, impact always relates to a change in one or more of the 12 areas of a biblical church – as distinguished in our Church Analysis Tool

(CAT): doctrine, ministry, spirituality, fellowship, discipleship, leadership, organizational capacity, resourceful, inter-church unity, persecution-prepared, prophetic voice, mission & evangelism.

For example, if the activity is a series of literacy trainings in which 200 women participate, the Direct Effect might be defined as 150 women have increased capacity to read and write and the Project Outcome as 150 women have increased ability to educate their children and start self-sustaining business activities. On church level or congregation level the strategic impact, long-term result reflecting a change in the state of the church might be defined as: (Church) Christian women have increased capacity to withstand pressure from Islam through economic empowerment.

In the analogy of the stones (activities) that are being thrown into the water (the church), the Strategic Impact is the widest ripple the stone causes (beyond the Direct Effect and Outcomes) as a long-term result of our activities. As strategic impact relates to the ripples farthest away from the original place the stones (activities) hit the water, and reflect change by people who have had little or no direct involvement in the intervention, the strategic impact is hardly within our (or our partners) scope of control.

See also: attribution

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Implementation

Implementation refers to the day-to-day execution of a project or program.

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Indicator

Indicators are markers of program results that provide a means to measure achievement in a certain area. They tell something about the desired changes connected to a program in terms of quantity, quality, target group(s), time and place.

Indicators are especially important in the monitoring and evaluation of a program. It enables the organization to track results, to learn and improve, and to quickly adjust when circumstances change in the course of the program implementation

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Indicator baseline

The indicator baseline refers to the initial conditions prior to the start of a program, against which change can be assessed or comparisons made. In fact, it’s the first measurement of the indicators to find out ‘where we are today’.

The baseline can be measured prior to the program implementation or be part of an activity during program implementation (e.g. a pre-test on the starting day of a training).

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Indicator target

The indicator target is a specific target as to how much change you want to achieve, where and with whom. For example if you describe your indicator as “Pastors have increased knowledge about persecution and the influence of Islam”, the target maybe 80 pastors. Possibly further specified per geographical area. The indicator target can refer to an overall (program) target after 4 years or broken down in (semi) annual intervals as points along the desired trajectory from baseline to final target. For example: 20 pastors in the first 6 months,

40 pastors in the first 12 months, and so on until the overall target has been reached.

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Input

Input refers to the resources that are used to deliver an activity. Any program requires some kind of resources to carry out the activities. For example money, staff, time, material, equipment, transport, etc.

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Intervention

An intervention is an action or series of actions taken to intentionally become engaged with the persecuted church in order to fulfill our mission: to strengthen what remains and is about to die.

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Log frame

A Logframe is another name for Logical Framework, a program design tool that provides an overview of the basic logical program framework, describing a pathway of change from activities to short term, midterm and long-term results.

A Logframe, Results Chain (used in SPMM), pathway to change or Theory of Change are different terms that have the same general purpose: to describe how a program will lead to results, and to help you think critically about this.

See also: Results Chain, Theory of Change

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Monitoring (phase)

Definition depends on final Assessment 3-5 pager

Monitoring involves the collection of routine implementation data that measures progress towards achieving project/program objectives. It creates a continuous feedback loop by tracking and assessing the delivery of activities, direct effects and, where applicable, project outcomes. Monitoring documents the ongoing program implementation with early indications of progress – or lack thereof – in the achievements of results. Its primary purpose is to permit program and country management to make informed decisions regarding the effectiveness of a program and the efficient use of resources.

Monitoring requires specific data collection, data administration, analysis and reporting to ensure evidence based learning and continuous improvement of programs with the church.

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Operational Risk

A risk is a condition or situation unfavorable to the project that will have a negative impact on any of your project objectives, if it occurs.

Risks will always harm your project; therefore, it is part of good stewardship to manage them accordingly. If risks are specified with the corresponding probability it occurs it enables a field team to develop a plan in how to address the risks: to either minimize its chance of happening, find ways to reduce its impact or accept the risk as is.

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Organization Capacity

Organization Capacity refers to the capability of an organization to execute field programs with the persecuted church towards the desired impact.

Organization Capacity is assessed in terms of strengths and weaknesses as part of the Assessment Phase. For example, the organization might have established good relations with the government or may lack skills and experience in economic development programs.

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Partner

No agreement yet on definition – Implementing Partner, Engaged Church, etc.

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Persecution

The official definition of persecution as defined by WWU and used in the World Watch List is: Persecution is ‘any hostility experienced as a result of one’s identification with Christ. This can include hostile attitudes, words and actions towards Christians’.

This is further described in the WWL Methodology (Last update: November 2017): The WWL methodology has opted for a theological rather than a sociological definition. While this definition has its challenges because of its inclusiveness, it seems best to cover the full range of hostility that is experienced by Christians as a result of their Christian walk, rather than limit the term ‘persecution’ to more overt forms of persecution or extreme forms of suffering. This is because it is very difficult in practice to state objectively what is, in fact, extreme. Often losing a job can be far worse in its effects than a beating in prison. Or being shunned by one’s parents can be more psychologically scarring than being part of a skirmish on the street. Also, to say that persecution has to be deliberate underestimates the implicit and indirect power of culture which has over time created a society or situation that freezes Christians out of normal life. The WWL methodology recognizes that hostile attitudes, words and actions towards Christians can also originate from within Christianity itself. For this reason one of the persecution engines defined and analyzed by the team of World Watch Research (WWR) is Denominational protectionism.

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Program

A program is a group of related projects managed in a coordinated way and designed to achieve or contribute to a long-term Strategic Impact Priority.

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Program Cycle

The Program Cycle is the process a program goes through from its initiation to its (final) evaluation. It covers the life cycle of the program from the moment its initiated at the end of the Assessment Phase / beginning of the Design Phase, moving through implementation/monitoring and ending when the program (activities) have been fully implemented and the results are evaluated through a Reflective Process or a formal Evaluation.

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Project

A project is a group of related sets of activities managed in a coordinated way and designed to accomplish specific short term Direct Effects (per set of activities) that all together result in a midterm Project Outcome.

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Project Outcome

The Project Outcome refers to the mid-term results of a specific set of activities (the project). It’s about a behavioral change, i.e. ‘institutions’ or people (e.g. congregations or persecuted believers) doing something differently or something better as a result of acquired knowledge, skills, capacity, etc. Project Outcomes are not seen immediately after the end of the project activities (like Direct Effects), but after some time, when change can be observed at the ground level by people who may have had little or no direct involvement in the intervention.

For example, if the activity is a series of literacy trainings in which 200 women participate, the Direct Effect might be defined as: 150 women have increased capacity to read and write. The question is what change we intended with the literacy training not only in the lives of the participants but also in the wider community. Maybe we hoped that those 150 women would be able to read their Bibles and educate their children in the wider family. That they would not only know how to read, but use that knowledge or skill for a given purpose or that they would pass it on to others. Or, the literacy training might be part of a bigger project that also includes activities to foster economic empowerment. The project outcome, the mid-term result, might then be defined as 150 women have increased ability to educate their children and start self-sustaining business activities.

Where the Direct Effect is often concerned with increasing awareness, understanding, skills or simply starting IGA, developing material, etc., the Project Outcome often reflects application and/or multiplication: Trained pastors start to preach about persecution in their congregations, church leaders who have participated in seminary classes start to use their new skills and knowledge. Micro loans that were started, begin to be profitable and are expanding in the community.

In the analogy of the stones (activities) that are being thrown into the water (the church), the Project Outcome is the wider ripple the stone causes (beyond the splash) as an intermediate result of our activities. As the ripples widen, reflecting change by people who have had little or no direct involvement in the intervention. The Project Outcome is only to a limited way within our (or our partners) scope of control.

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Reach

The number of ‘beneficiaries’ that are directly and indirectly influenced by a project or program.

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Relevance

Are these the right things to do?

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Resilience

In general, resilience is seen as the capacity (at different levels) to prevent, withstand and overcome environmental stressors. It refers to the (complex) dynamics of absorbing shocks. Or, applied to the church: the courage and strengths of individual Christians, churches and denominations to face and deal with challenges, threats, opposition, suffering and persecution (‘squeeze’ and ‘smash’). To be the Church as God meant it, while being under pressure; to stand strong (in the storm) and continue to perform the basic congregational functions.

See also: ‘Resilience – searching for a meaningful framework’, Leen Stok, 2016-11-26

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Result

The Direct Effect, Project Outcome or Strategic Impact (intended or unintended, positive and/or negative) of an intervention.

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Results chain

The results chain describes the sequence and logic to achieve the desired change within a program, beginning with inputs and ending with the desired impact for the persecuted church. In SPMM we recognize three result levels: Direct Effect, Project Outcome and Strategic Impact. The results chain reflects the logic that activities produce short term results (direct effects), which in turn generate midterm results (project outcomes), finally contributing to long term results (strategic impact). The results chain aims to focus on the results  or effects our activities have on the church, rather than only looking at the accomplishments of our activities.

A Logframe, Results Chain (used in SPMM), pathway to change or Theory of Change are different terms that have the same general purpose: to describe how a program will lead to results, and to help you think critically about this.

See also: Theory of Change, Logframe

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Sampling

Sampling, in the context of SPMM, refers to careful selection of a group of people from a larger population for the purpose of research or result measurement. The sample should be representative of the population to ensure that the findings from the sample can be generalized to the population as a whole. Statistical formulas can help in calculating the minimum sample size given the heterogeneity (diversity) of the population.

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SPMM

Definition depends on final pre-ambule

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Stakeholder

Stakeholders are persons, organizations or governments that have something to gain or lose through the implementation of a project or program with the church. Stakeholders (or interest groups, as they are sometimes called) can influence the local field operations and a powerful bearing on the outcomes of our programs, positively and negatively. Therefore it is important to be aware of their possible influence and how to cope with that in the planning our operations.

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Strategic Impact Priority

A Strategic Impact Priority (SIP) reflects an area within the persecuted church a field team wants to focus in the deployment of a program. A SIP is defined as a result of the Assessment Phase and always relates to a Program that will be designed to address the priority. Strategic priorities give a sense of direction. It enables the organization to allocate resources in a well-considered way and to evaluate the results after program implementation.

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Sustainability

Sustainability refers to the lasting change of a particular program. All programs have to end eventually, a sustainable program means that the impact lasts and/or is continued.

The most common definition of sustainable development was defined by the Brundtland Commission in 1987: ‘Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

A program can be sustainable in three main areas:

Community: How the community/persecuted believers carry out the program activities even after the program ends.

Financial: How the financial support required for the program will continue after the program ends.

Organizational: How the church as organization continues to function after the program ends.

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Target group

See: Beneficiary

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Theme

No agreement yet on definition

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Theory of Change

Theory of Change explains the process of change by outlining causal linkages in an initiative, i.e., its shorter-term, intermediate, and longer-term outcomes. The identified changes are mapped – as the “outcomes pathway” – showing each outcome in logical relationship to all the others, as well as chronological flow.

A Logframe, Results Chain (used in SPMM), pathway to change or Theory of Change are different terms that have the same general purpose: to describe how a program will lead to results, and to help you think critically about this.

See also: Results Chain, Logframe

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Unintended benefit

An unexpected benefit is a positive, unforeseen benefit as a result of an intervention. For example, in the implementation of an economic program it may have been unforeseen (not planned for) that not only the income of persecuted believers increased, but that the various economic activities also created a positive interaction with people with a different belief enhancing peace in the community.

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Unintended drawback

An unintended drawback is a negative, unforeseen harm as a result of an intervention. For example, the implementation of an economic program may have resulted in increased income and better resilience of persecuted believers, yet – as a drawback – it may also have caused increasing materialism and/or pressure on relationships within a community as economic interests started playing a more dominant role.

If an intervention causes the contrary effect of what was originally intended (when an intended solution makes the problem worse), it is called a Perverse Result.