"For years, Many churches have used ‘butts and bucks’ as they’re [sic] leading spiritual indicators"

In 2 Cor. 10 Paul provides two God-centered metrics for ministry that have little, if anything, to do with those things we are all tempted to measure.

Indeed, the kinds of things we usually see measured are the very things the false apostles in Corinth measured: people (2 Cor. 10:12) and money (2 Cor. 11:5-7).

In humility Paul refused such measures. Instead, first, he measured ministry by geographic sphere:

“But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you.” (2 Cor. 10:13)

Second, he measured ministry by a geographic rule:

not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere [or, “rule”] , enlarged even more by you” (2 Cor. 10:15)

[jhowell]

why not start the metrics back in 2 Cor. 8-9 as Paul takes the theology of grace and applies it to giving.

Because Paul doesn’t start his discussion of metrics until 2 Cor. 10:12. Follow the word, “measure.”

Hamilton Square Baptist Church (founded in 1881). We keep (or have kept) records of the attendance on Sundays. Not for publication, we figure it would be nice for folks in 2050 to see what the numbers were like in 2014. The Sunday bulletin has a listing of the various budget categories (General, Building Fund, Missions, & Designated Missions) compared to the offerings made to them on a year to date basis. The numbers are published in an effort to be as transparent as possible in money matters.