The Hood Shepherd measures gospel access and church presence at the Census tract level— revealing where the church is thriving, where it's absent, and where strategic ministry investment can make the most kingdom impact.
We define gospel impact through three observable, quantifiable dimensions: Church Density (physical proximity to a local church), Church Capacity (the ratio of church budget to population need), and Neighborhood Need (economic pressure, vulnerability, and life complexity).
Each U.S. Census tract receives a Gospel Impact Metric (GIM) score from 0–100. Low scores indicate gospel deserts—areas with high need and low church presence. High scores reveal saturated tracts where the church has strong capacity relative to population need.
We believe gospel impact is both spiritual and observable. While salvation is the work of the Spirit, the church's physical presence, financial investment, and proximity to those in need can be measured—and must be measured if we're serious about strategic ministry.
Our framework draws on Jonathan Edwards' emphasis on observable fruit, Jane Jacobs' insights on neighborhood vitality, and Nassim Taleb's principles of antifragility—applied to the church's capacity to absorb pressure and sustain long-term kingdom presence.
Enter your address and discover the gospel impact score, church density, and strategic opportunities in your Census tract.
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