SWIDBOP

NMC Survey District Superintendent Leadership Development Program New Church Specialties

NCS 2007

Strategic Planning

By Larry McKain


"We should make plans, counting on God to direct us." Proverbs 16:9, LB

As a pastor or church board leader, one of your primary church roles is to create a climate where "spiritual learning" can flourish. No Christian or local church has "arrived." This is one of the reasons you have taken the time and energy to work on a Church Action Plan to implement. None of us knows everything we need to know to be all that God wants us to be. This is why we must always keep teachable and keep on learning. Churches and church boards that thrive are those that never stop learning. Here are the key principles you will find emphasized in the following few pages:

  1. We MUST keep on learning.
  2. We MUST think like God (spiritual thinking) not just ourselves (natural thinking).
  3. God is a planning God, planning is spiritual work and God EXPECTS us to plan.
  4. Asking eight key questions will help a church to spiritually focus.
  5. We must understand and build agenda harmony together.
  6. Being led by God, we WILL commit to develop an openness to change.
  7. When we follow a plan that has come from God, God blesses His plan!

The Church As A Spiritual Learning Organization

In his book, The Fifth Discipline, Peter Senge accurately contends that not only individuals, but the organizations that will survive and thrive in the 21st century will be organizations committed to continual learning, growth and change. Every time a church develops a Church Action Plan, we must watch what helps a church, what works and what does not work. What we learn we need to capture, catalogue and communicate with each other. We must never give up improving what we do as a church. Every local Nazarene church must become a "learning laboratory" for us.

Our district learning will require us to keep perfecting the feedback, listening loop that fuels our learning. Proverbs 1:5 states, "let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance." Here is a question that would be good for your church to discuss: "How hungry are you to not stay where you are?"

As a pastor or church board leader, how committed are you to really listening to the people to whom you minister? Are you willing to ask the congregation whether or not they perceive you to be good listeners? How eager are you to seek feedback from those in the congregation you serve? As a pastor and church board leaders, if you want to be both wise and effective, you must make a commitment to keep on learning. The Church Action Plan process is a tool we have designed to help you do this. If you are sincere, we believe the church will LOVE you for being willing to truly "listen" to them and how they feel.

As you study the Church Action Plan process, you will find that our learning is fueled by asking good questions. Some people in the church may wonder whether or not "asking questions" in the church is biblical. Here is our response. We are only told about one incident in the boyhood days of Jesus. He had been taken up to the temple when He was twelve and accidentally left behind by His parents. The Scripture records, "After three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions." All Jesus did was listen and ask questions. What was the result? "Everyone who heard Him was amazed at His understanding and His answers" (Luke 2:46-47). Jesus knew that the best way to learn was to listen and ask questions!

As a church, if we learn to ask the right question, we can move toward getting the right answer for our specific situation. In consulting, beware of people who seem to imply they have all the answers. There are no simple formulas in building a healthy church. Every church setting is different and requires "contextualizing our learning," and this requires learning to ask the right questions in your own specific situation.

Beginning with God, Not Ourselves

In their board meetings, many churches will be tempted to ask the wrong question as they begin their strategic thinking and planning. Churches that operate by asking each other, "What do you think we should do?" end up in a different place than churches that ask, "What does God think we should do?" We believe that to receive spiritual results, we must learn to think and always operate in a spiritual rather than just a "natural" or human way.

We believe that building a spiritual learning environment and strategic planning can go hand in hand. This will require your church board to begin with the right attitude. Churches with this attitude have learned that Christ is the head of the church, not any person or group. Together they seek to be "led by the Spirit" (Rom 8:14) and collectively "taught by the Spirit" (1 Cor 2:13; John 14:26). Take a moment to read these scriptures and reflect on their meaning as you begin to build your Church Action Plan. Your attitude in this process is ALL IMPORTANT. Pray and seek to be led by the Holy Spirit. Everyone must want Jesus to truly guide your decisions because He "is the head of the body, the church; He is the beginning ... so that in everything He might have the supremacy" (Col 1:18).

Paul teaches, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened" (Eph 1:18). You may be thinking, "I have eyes in my heart?" Yes, we have not only physical eyes in our head, but spiritual eyes in our heart. In building a Church Action Plan, we need our spiritual eyes alert to see what God wants us to see and decide the direction God wants us to go. As a pastor or church board leader, at times you will be tempted to give up or feel confused. When this happens, ask God to give you spiritual sight! Ask Him to keep developing spiritual eyes within you. Just like Moses, when we have the right kind of eyes, "we persevere because we see Him who is invisible!" (Heb 11:27). Spiritual sight develops perseverance as we plan and follow God's leading. These "spiritual eyes" will make all the difference in the world in how you build a Church Action Plan. There is a huge difference between a church that makes decisions based on what its leaders think they can do and a church that makes decisions based on what they believe God can do.

You may be thinking, "What practical steps can be taken by our church to help us move our thinking from a human or natural level to a spiritual level?" We have discovered in the past by helping literally hundreds of churches build Church Action Plans, that churches make real progress when they understand what the Bible teaches about the planning. We strongly believe that before you begin to develop a Church Action Plan, that you must come to deeply believe God wants you to have one! What does the Bible say about planning? Let's take a look.

God Plans and Wants Us to Plan

At New Church Specialties, we believe deeply that God is not against planning. God is a planning God! You have probably heard the saying, "If we fail to plan, we are planning to fail." Most people know this is true. The book of Proverbs is filled with repeated instructions on the importance of planning. We encourage you to take a moment, read and discuss the following passages from Proverbs about the subject of planning. (Proverbs 12:5; 14:22; 15:22; 16:1, 3, 9; 19:21; 20:18; 21:5, 30).

The Bible makes very clear, "We should make plans, counting on God to direct us" (Pro 16:9, LB). In Habakkuk 2, the Lord is communicating His plans to the prophet and instructs him, "Write the revelation [vision] down and make it plain on tablets so that those who read it may run with it ... if it lingers, wait for it. It will come ... but the righteous will live by faith" (Hab 2:2-4). From this passage, we are given some basic lessons about what we call "spiritual strategic planning."

David spiritually sought God in the strategic planning process that surrounded the building of God's temple, and he received a plan from God. A key practical question every pastor and church board leader must answer is, "Is God able to give us this same wisdom and ability to develop a clear plan to follow in what He is calling us to do for Him?" We believe the answer to that question is a resounding yes! God is more anxious to reveal His plan to us than we are to seek it! He has had specific plans for His people to fulfill from the beginning of time. "I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to give you hope and a future" (Jer 29:11).

When David began thinking about building the temple for the Lord, he was not haphazard. He knew he had to develop a plan. As he studied, wrote and ultimately completed the plan, he declared with joy and confidence, "All this (the plan for building God's house), I have in writing from the hand of the Lord upon me. He gave me understanding in all the details of the plan" (1 Chr 28:19). David did not write the plan on his own, with his own wisdom or just his own ideas. "The hand of the Lord was on him" (1 Chr 28:19). This is the key difference between secular strategic planning and spiritual strategic planning. David deeply sensed it was God Himself who had given him understanding in all of the step-by-step details that were required to build God's house.

As a pastor or church board leader, you must believe today that God can give you and your team understanding! "Do not trust in your own understanding but... acknowledge Him and He will direct" (Pro 3:5-6) the development of the details. When you are led by God, planning your work and working your plan take on a deeply spiritual dimension!

In the New Testament, we see spiritual strategic planning taught and lived out in the life of Jesus. In His teaching, Jesus clearly assumes that thinking ahead is vital for the success of any building project. Take a moment and read Luke 14:28-30. Discuss what Jesus teaches here about planning. In the next verses, Jesus goes on to teach that planning is vital to any success or victory. What principles do Luke 14:31-33 teach you about planning and thinking through details? It is interesting in this passage that Jesus clearly links planning with commitment and discipleship. In the past, many church leaders have incorrectly felt that when a local church board engaged in strategic planning, they were moving from spiritual to non-spiritual work. Nothing could be further from the truth! Prayer and planning are both highly spiritual activities!

Eight Key Planning Questions

When a group of people collectively seek to answer the question, "What does God think we should do?" it becomes a very spiritual process. This is why we call the building of a Church Action Plan, spiritual strategic planning. Dr. Steve Andersen, a dedicated Christian lay leader who teaches in the School of Business & Technology at Black Hills State University, is the one who taught me the following planning process. At New Church Specialties, we have used it with scores of churches in church board renewal weekends, strategic planning retreats and church leadership gatherings. The process of developing a good Church Action Plan is built on the principle of learning to ask the right questions as a church.

There are eight strategic planning questions we use as we seek to answer the most important question, "What does God think we should do?" The eight questions are:

Who are we? MISSION & VALUES
Where are we? NEEDS
Where does God want us to go?   VISION & PRIORITIES
How are we going to get there?   GOALS & PLANNING
When will it be done?   SCHEDULING
Who is responsible for what?   DELEGATING
How much will it cost?   BUDGETING
Did we do it?   EVALUATING

When we do spiritual strategic planning with a local church, we walk through answering these questions with the team responsible for seeing the vision of the church realized. Great spiritual focus is created when a group of people come together and build a clear plan that addresses these issues as they seek to know what God wants them to do. Building a Church Action Plan that you work on and implement together, is a powerful tool to help a church move forward.

Agenda Harmony with God for the Church's Future

This introduction now leads us to ask one more key theological question. As we do spiritual strategic planning, is it possible for a pastor and church board leaders to really know what God wants them to do? Is it possible for us to know what God is thinking? The apostle Paul answers this question in 1 Corinthians with an emphatic yes! He begins the discussion by emphasizing that every church ministry should not be built on "wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that people's faith will not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power" (1 Cor 2:4-5).

Paul then helps us understand how to help a church move into spiritual thinking. He writes, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love Him"-but God has revealed it to us by His Spirit" (1 Cor 2:9-10). I grew up thinking this passage was a reference to heaven, until I read the context. What Paul is teaching here is that there are things God wants us to understand beyond the natural realm, into the spiritual realm. What our eyes cannot see physically, what our ears cannot hear or our mind cannot conceive physically, God wants to reveal to us spiritually. Paul calls these the "deep things of God" (1 Cor 2:10).

He then says "who knows the thoughts of a person except the person's spirit within them?" (1 Cor 2:11). In other words, Paul says no one knows what I or you are thinking except "our spirit" within us. Our "spirit" knows our thoughts. Paul goes on to explain, "In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God�except the Spirit of God" (1 Cor 2:11). The Holy Spirit knows what God is thinking. What an incredible truth and magnificent truth! Paul explains that as we lead God's church, "This is what we are to speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words" (1 Cor 2:13).

The climate, the attitude we operate in as a church should be spiritual rather than natural or human. We should seek to move all of our strategic thinking into a spiritual rather than a natural realm. I wish I could say that every church board leader will automatically engage in spiritual thinking, but sometimes we do not. Paul explains, "Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts, the thinking of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor 2:14, NRSV).

Here is the million dollar question. In the strategic planning your church is about to do, in your reflection, how much "spiritual discernment" will we seek to have? Paul describes the kind of people God wants to lead His church, as "those who are spiritual" (1 Cor 2:15, NRSV). He concludes the chapter with one of the greatest promises any pastor and church board can claim. He says to you pastor, to you, church board leaders, it is possible for you "to have the mind of Christ!" (1 Cor 2:16).

These passages of scripture lead us to review some basic principles we should reflect on and follow as we build our Church Action Plan and engage in spiritual strategic planning.

Spiritual Strategic Planning - 10 Basic Principles:

  1. We have the Holy Spirit.
  2. The Holy Spirit knows God's thoughts.
  3. We can know what God is thinking, especially His plan for us!
  4. God is more anxious to reveal His plan, than we are to seek it!
  5. Planning is a VERY spiritual process (1 Chr 28:19)
  6. Jesus taught the value of planning (Luke 14:28-30, 31-33)
  7. People can run with a vision that is written down (Hab 2:2-4)
  8. A key to achieving God's vision and plan is to seek it and affirm it with godly leaders and other believers within the church.
  9. Another key is to gain agenda harmony within the church on the direction and plan God wants us to follow.
  10. A vision or dream for the church's future without a plan is simply a wish.

The purpose of spiritual strategic planning is not to get everyone in the church to agree with "your agenda" but for the pastor and church board leaders together to collectively seek God's agenda. We want to discover and develop the mind of Christ. We want to answer questions such as, "Where does God want our church to go? What does God want us to do? What does God want us to attempt?" This is spiritual strategic thinking.

God is glorified and His mission in the world advances greatly when pastors and church board leaders lock arms together to do the work of Christ. When Christ's church enjoys unity and agenda harmony, she is unstoppable! David writes, "How good and pleasant it is when brothers [and sisters] live together in unity�It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down Aaron's beard�"For there the Lord bestows His blessing, even life forevermore" (Psa 133:1-33). The foundational issue in building a Church Action Plan is the process of gaining agenda harmony. What is agenda harmony? Let me define what we mean by these two words.

  • Agenda: "an outline or plan of the things that must be done."
  • Harmony: "a unified arrangement of parts with a common focus."

    • Put together, agenda harmony occurs when the members of a local congregation, pastor and church board leaders work together for a common objective, with a common purpose, in a common spirit. The apostle Paul knew the importance of agenda harmony within the church and wrote, "If you have any fellowship with the Spirit ... then make my joy complete by having these four characteristics as a church: 1) be like-minded, 2)have the same love, 3) be one in spirit and 4) be one in purpose" (Phil 2:1-2).

    We contend that this is not just a suggestion or an option to God. The anointing of the Holy Spirit, the hand of God's blessing being on a church is directly related to the church, in unity, submitting themselves to giving up their own agendas and together seeking the agenda of Jesus. "The Lord can bestow His blessing, even everlasting life" (Psa 133:3), only where there is unity and agenda harmony. Only where people are one in spirit and have the same love will we see lost and broken people touched by Christ through His Church. Jesus taught this the night before He went to the cross. He said, It is only as local churches are "brought to complete unity that the world will know" (John 17:23). This is Christ's church as He designed it to be.

    For the sake of the church Jesus loves, that is why Paul urged every church leader to "make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" (Eph 4:2). Unity of the Spirit does not mean I will see eye to eye on every issue with others within the church. But it does mean I will learn to walk hand in hand with my brothers and sisters even when I don't see eye to eye. It means I will learn to give up my own agenda for the greater agenda of the whole church. Why is this SO important? Because the achievement of God's mission through His church hangs in the balance. And through the work of our local church, what is at stake is the salvation of our planet.

    Does agenda harmony now describe the attitudes within your church? If not, one of the first steps you will want to take is to begin praying for God to lead your church into an experience of agenda harmony as you begin strategic planning. A key ingredient in this process is to ask God to develop within the heart of the church, a genuine love for being corrected by the Word of God.

    Do You, Does Your Church Love Being Corrected By God?

    God gives us the purpose of the Bible in 2 Timothy 3:16. "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." One of the main purposes of our attending church every week is for God to correct is individually, and as a church. Do you remember being corrected when you were a child? Did you love it? You probably did not. Left to ourselves, none of us loves to be corrected (Prov 29:19).

    The Bible has a lot to say about correction. It teaches in Proverbs that if we ignore correction, we will lead others astray (10:17), if we hate correction we are stupid (12:1), if we heed correction we will be honored (13:18) and we show prudence and good sense (15:5). Mockers resent correction and will not consult those who are wise (15:12). Whoever heeds correction gains understanding (15:32). Jeremiah went through some great difficulties in following God's will for his life. He certainly had the right attitude when he wrote, "I know, O Lord, that the way of human beings is not in their control, that mortals as they walk cannot direct their steps. Correct me, O Lord..." (Jer 10:23-24, NRSV).

    Let me ask you, "In your spiritual life in God's church, do you, does your church regularly seek to be corrected by God?" There is a direct relationship between spiritual maturity, missional thinking and the attitude of being teachable. People who spiritually grow want to learn. They seek wisdom and desire to be corrected by God in any way that makes them wiser. Proverbs instructs us, "If you had responded to my rebuke, I (wisdom) would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you" (1:23), "if you correct those who care about life ... they'll love you for it!" (9:8, The Message), "Give instruction to the wise, and they will become wiser still; teach the righteous and they will gain in learning." (9:9, NRSV), "the wise in heart accept commands (10:8), "Fools are headstrong and do what they like; wise people take advice (12:15, The Message), "Pride only breeds quarrels, but wisdom is found in those who take advice" (13:10).

    Jesus told the church people of his day who struggled to follow God rightly, "You are in error because you do not know the Scriptures or the power of God" (Matt 22:29). I know in my own life, as well as in the life of my church, nearly every time we have a problem, an error or the need for correction in some way, either we do not understand the Scriptures or we are not trusting the power of the Holy Spirit. Every time the church is not thinking missionally, it is because the church needs some kind of repentance and correction. This is what Jesus taught.

    Developing an Openness to Change

    Paul reminds us, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness" (2 Tim 3:16). As I attend church, one of the main purposes of the Bible is to regularly correct me. If I am a maturing Christian taking spiritual steps of obedience, it may not be easy. But every Sunday when I gather to worship, my attitude will be, "Lord, I want to be corrected today by the Word of God. Would you teach me, guide me, reveal to me the changes you want me to make in my life today?"

    As we work with churches in the process of strategic planning, we are finding a prerequisite to missional thinking is repentance, brokenness and developing a sense of urgency to be different. "A broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psa 51:17). Every maturing Christian taking spiritual steps of obedience will seek to be corrected as often as he or she can, by the word of God. The Greek word for repent is "metanoia," which means "a change of mind and a corresponding change of life." It is not just blatant sinners outside God's church who need to repent and be corrected by God. If I am a maturing Christian taking spiritual steps of obedience, the Holy Spirit will regularly prompt my thinking to change. I will have regular changes of mind and corresponding changes in my life. I will never stop growing and maturing. I will never feel that I have spiritually arrived. God will continue showing me how I can take more steps toward becoming a missional Christian who sees the world every day through the eyes of Jesus. I then will remain humble, broken and teachable before God. How many people like this would you like to have in your church? This is where God wants to lead us all!

    When The Plan Comes From God

    When a local church has a vision and a plan that the people believe has come from the pastor and the church board, it will sputter and most likely stall. But if people pray, seek God's wisdom and believe the vision and plan being developed has truly come from the heart of God, the vision and plan has a very high probability of being achieved. There is a HUGE difference between people thinking God has revealed His will for us, compared to the pastor and church board coming up with some good ideas.

    Do you remember the words of instruction from Gamaliel to the Sanhedrin regarding the early disciples? "For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God" (Acts 5:38- 39). Clear spiritual vision that people deeply believe has come from God is unstoppable!