Set the Journey

1. Set the Journey A Strategy Development Processfor the Local Church

2. Set The Journey “. . . You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Turn and set your journey.” Deut. 1: 6-7a (NAS)

3. STRATEGY DEFINITION THE PROCESS TO BRING ALL OF OUR RESOURCES INTO A FAVORABLE POSITION TOMAXIMIZEOUR OPPORTUNITY TO BE EFFECTIVE IN REACHING OUR ”JERUSALEM” FOR JESUS

4. Key Issue: Stewardship Matt. 25:14-30 (Acts 1:8)

5. Purpose of Strategy Process: To discover and implement the Mission of God for the Local Church

6. The Mission of God for the Local Church • Great Commandment – Matt. 22:36-40 • Great Commission – Matt. 28:18-20 • Ministry of Reconciliation – II Corinthians 5:18-19 • The Strategy of Mission - Acts 1:8 • New Testament Model • Proclamation of the Gospel • Planting of Churches

7. Things are not always what they seem to be - - Sibili si ergo, forte busis en ero. nobili dimis trux: siwatis enim? Cowsendux!

8. Change Only a wet baby really appreciates change.Mark Twain

9. CHANGE: TWO CHOICES • Proactive: Adapt the Church organization to current and future challenges. • Reactive: short-term survival. It is a choice of slow death.

10. CHANGE: Two Areas to Consider • INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES:Focuses on changes occurring inside the organization, both within the churches and the convention organization. • EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES:Includes major forces, trends, and changes in the region. Focuses on use of demographic data.

11. Internal Environmental Changes (Situation) • General health of our church? • Is our church growing? • Are we plateaued or declining? • Baptismal trend of our church? • Level of missions involvement within church? • The level of enthusiasm and energy within the church? • Is our church structured for effectiveness or efficiency? • Does our organization and structure empower or control people?

12. CHANGE: Two Areas to Consider • INTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES:Focuses on changes occurring inside the organization, both within the churches and the convention organization. • EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES:Includes major forces, trends, and changes in the region. Focuses on use of demographic data.

13. External Environmental Changes (Context) • DEMOGRAPHIC • ECONOMIC • PSYCHOGRAPHIC • SOCIOGRAPHIC • EDUCATION • AGE TRENDS • LOCAL EXTERNAL TRENDS

14. Purpose of Strategy Development: • Clarify Mission • Establish Priorities • Mobilize Resources • Enhance Results • Determine Needed Structure

15. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:Advantages • DETERMINES AREAS OF FOCUS (Priorities) • PROVIDES BLUEPRINT FOR THE FUTURE • ESTABLISHES CRITERIA FOR DECISION MAKING • BUILDS FROM YOUR VALUES, MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS • MEASURES HOW WELL YOUR PASSION IS SUSTAINED

16. The Relationship between Strategy and Effectiveness STRATEGY = PRIORITY = RELEVANCE

17. Purpose of Strategy Development: • Clarify Mission • Establish Priorities • Mobilize Resources • Enhance Results • Determine Needed Structure

18. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:ESTABLISHESPRIORITIES • CREATES RELEVANCY FOR YOUR CONTEXT AND FOCUSES ON THE FUTURE. • DETERMINES WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO DO. • DETERMINES WHAT YOU ARE NOT GOING TO DO. PETER DRUCKER STATES: THE ESSENCE OF STRATEGY IS DENIAL. • HELPS YOU BECOME EFFICIENT AND MORE PRODUCTIVE.

19. Purpose of Strategy Development: • Clarify Mission • Establish Priorities • Mobilize Resources • Enhance Results • Determine Needed Structure

20. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:MOBILIZES RESOURCES • IDENTIFIES AND LOCATES NEEDED RESOURCES • STRATEGICALLY ALLOCATES AND REALLOCATES RESOURCES: INCLUDING PERSONNEL, FINANCIAL, MATERIAL AND PROPERTY RESOURCES. • HELPS ELIMINATE WASTE; MAKES DO WITH WHAT YOU HAVE…POWERFUL STIMULANT FOR CREATIVITY.

21. Purpose of Strategy Development: • Clarify Mission • Establish Priorities • Mobilize Resources • Enhance Results • Determine Needed Structure

22. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:ENHANCES RESULTS • LEADS TO EFFECTIVENESS, AS WELL AS EFFICIENCY. • HELPS CREATE VISION AND DIRECTION • MAKES CHURCH MORE RELEVANT TO THE COMMUNITY • STRENGTHENS RELATIONSHIPS BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE CHURCH • INCREASES AND BETTER UTILIZES RESOURCES • MORE PRODUCTIVE MINISTRY

23. Purpose for Strategy Planning: • Clarify Mission • Establish Priorities • Mobilize Resources • Enhance Results • Determine Needed Structure

24. Determine Needed Structure

25. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT: • ANY PROCESS WILL DO • INCLUDES FOUR PHASES • NEEDS TO ANSWER SIX QUESTIONS

26. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:FOUR PHASES • PREPARATION • PLANNING • RESOURCING • IMPLEMENTATION

27. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENTANSWERS SIX QUESTIONS 1. WHY ARE WE? (Purpose/Mission) 2. WHO ARE WE? (Values) 3. WHERE ARE WE? (Context) 4. HOW ARE WE? (Strengths/Weaknesses) 5. WHERE ARE WE GOING? (Vision) 6. HOW DO WE GET THERE? (Strategy Plan)

28. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:FOUR PHASES • PREPARATION • PLANNING • RESOURCING • IMPLEMENTATION

29. THE PREPARATION PHASE The Church Leadership must help the church understand the need to conduct strategy planning: Preaching; Teaching; Newsletter; Director of Missions

30. THE PREPARATION PHASE The Church Leadership must identify the “influencers” and leaders in the church and enlist them to help in the process from the beginning. The Church must select a Church Strategy Group/Team to lead the process.

31. THE PREPARATION PHASE The Pastor and Staff Must Gather Information: • WHERE ARE WE? (External Environment)? • Demographics • Community Needs • HOW ARE WE? (Internal Environment)? • Church Statistics • Church Demographics

32. PREPARATION: Gathering Data • Demographic Data • Psychographics Data • Church Data • Orality Index • Local Community Data: zoning and planning, school system, local newspaper, local knowledge

33. STRATEGY DEVELOPMENT:FOUR PHASES • PREPARATION • PLANNING • RESOURCING • IMPLEMENTATION

34. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWER The 1st QUESTION:”Why Are We” Determining the Church Mission

35. MISSION STATEMENT …A BROAD, BRIEF, BIBLICAL STATEMENT OF WHAT THE ORGANIZATION IS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING. AUBREY MALPHURS

36. MISSION STATEMENT:ANSWERS THESE QUESTIONS • WHYDOES THIS CHURCH EXIST? • WHAT FUNCTION DOES THE CHURCH PERFORM? • FOR WHOM DOES THE CHURCH PERFORM THESE FUNCTIONS?

37. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWER The 2nd QUESTION: “Who Are We?” • Determining the Church Values

38. CORE VALUES THE CONSTANT, PASSIONATE, BIBLICAL BELIEFS THAT DRIVE THE MINISTRY AUBREY MALPHURS

39. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWERING The 2nd QUESTION:“Who Are We?” Determining the Church Core Values • Biblically (how we understand scriptural authority) • Doctrinally (what we believe and practice) • Culturally/Philosophically(how we live and think) • Organizationally/Functionally (how we organize and make decisions) • Relationally (what we consider important in our relationships) • Economically(how we make our living and how well we live) • Ethnically (how we understand our heritage) • Traditionally (what practices/things do we consider sacred)

40. CORE VALUES Core values are expressed in 5-7 key statements that reflect the distinctives of a church. Values describe the unique way by which people in the church do its work and how they relate to each other in that work. Behavior demonstrates values -- saying it does not make it a value; Actions validate values; Conflict arises when values are violated; Strategic planning will fail when values are not identified at the beginning of the process; Core Values provide the foundation for formulating goals and setting the direction of the church’s ministry.

41. Excellence Innovation Relevance Informality Networking Diversity Customization Flexibility Partnerships Missions/Evangelism Prayer God’s Word Learning Kingdom Growth Service Autonomy Core Values (examples)

42. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWER The 3rd QUESTION: “Where Are We?” Analyze the External Environment -- Includes major forces, trends, and changes in the region. Focuses on use of • Demographic Data • Community Ministry Needs

43. Analyze the External Environment • Demographic Census Data; • Windshield Survey/Community Canvassing will confirm Demographic Data; • Community Needs Survey will obtain information from community sources to help identify ministry needs.

44. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWER The 4th QUESTION: “How Are We?”Analyze the Internal Environment -- Focuses on changes/conditions occurring inside the organization of the Church. • Organization/Functions of the Church • Strengths • Weaknesses • Barriers • Opportunities

45. Analyze the Internal Environment Use the ACP* to construct a ten year profile of the Church displaying Resident Membership Worship Attendance (AM) Bible Study Attendance Baptisms (by age-grouping) Additions by Letter/Statement Undesignated Receipts * SBC Directory Service (http://sbds.lifeway.com/default.asp)

46. Analyze the Internal Environment The purpose of the church organization – to develop an operating system that ensures the best utilization of resources in order to accomplish the mission of the church. The New Testament outlines five functionsthat every church can and must accomplish in order to fulfill the Great Commission. Evangelism – sharing the gospel with lost people (Acts 5:41-42); Worship – experiencing God in a spiritually transforming way (Mt 22:37-40); Education –training believers to live for the Lord Jesus in all areas of life (Eph 4:11f); Fellowship – establishing and nurturing relationships of love, harmony, and unity among church members (Matthew 18:15-17; John 13:34; 17:20-26; Acts 6:1-6; Ephesians 2:1-5). Service – meeting people's needs in the name of the Lord Jesus (Mark 10:42ff);

47. Analyze the Internal Environment

48. THE PLANNING PHASE • ANSWER The 5th QUESTION: “Where Are We Going?”Describing the Preferred Future: VISION

49. VISION VISION IS A CLEAR, CHALLENGING PICTURE OF THE FUTURE OF THE MINISTRY AS IT CAN AND MUST BE. . .AUBREY MALPHURS

50. Proverbs 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish (or are unrestrained).