Phase one preliminary validation of a psychologically informed scale for faith based organisational effectiveness

Organisational effectiveness (OE) is critical for faith-based organisations (FBOs), particularly churches, to fulfil their mission while advancing human development. Despite their societal influence, no existing tool adequately measures OE in faith-based contexts while integrating psychological dimensions. This study reports phase one of a two-phase project aimed at validating a 50-item, psychologically informed OE scale for churches in Ghana. A sequential mixed-methods design was employed. A literature review and qualitative interviews with 20 experienced pastors and church leaders informed the generation of items. Expert review was conducted to ensure content and face validity. The resulting instrument was pilot-tested and administered to 844 participants across Protestant/Orthodox and Pentecostal/Charismatic churches. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) established construct validity and internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis was deliberately deferred to phase two in order to follow established methodological guidance which recommends validation on a large independent sample to avoid statistical overfitting and inflated model fit indices. EFA supported a four-factor structure namely financial sustainability, operational efficiency, structural governance, and attitudinal engagement with strong internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.874–0.957). The scale demonstrated potential for assessing OE in churches while capturing psychological and behavioural dimensions relevant to leadership, engagement, and community impact. Results also indicate the role of churches in character formation, leadership development, and membership retention. Cronbach’s α values exceeded 0.90, yet inter-item correlations (r = 0.15–0.50) remained largely optimal, showing strong coherence without redundancy. These findings establish a solid basis for confirmatory factor analysis in future research. This study introduces the first empirically derived model of psychologically blended faith-based OE, providing a theoretical foundation for subsequent validation. A second phase will employ confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate model fit, validity, and generalisability across diverse organisational settings. The scale offers practical utility for church leaders seeking to enhance institutional performance and mission alignment.