Value for Money

Chapter 1The Value Evolution

In July 2017, an unlikely group convened on the campus of Birmingham-Southern College to learn how to show the value of what they do. Although this task is not all that unusual, the audience may surprise you. The United Methodist Endorsing Agency (UMEA), a division of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry (GBHEM), hosted this Return on Investment (ROI) Workshop for 57 senior chaplains, spiritual care managers, and faith community leaders. Here’s an excerpt of an article about the program published by The United Methodist Church [1].

Over the last several years, a major paradigm shift has occurred in how organizational systems understand and value spiritual care. For many organizations, value and relevance are primarily centered on the bottom line. Although monetary value is a critical concern, it is the comparison of this value with the program/project costs that captures the attention of stakeholders—translating into ROI.

“Show me the money” is the familiar response from many business leaders and investors. Sometimes this is an appropriate response. At other times, it is misguided, especially when it comes to understanding the impact and value of chaplaincy and spiritual care. As Jeffrey Parkkila, senior chaplain at Westminster Retirement Community, Winter Park, Florida, stated, “I have struggled to find the language to communicate with the corporate world the needs of ministry and the value of spiritual care. This ROI training gives ...