Ministry Action Plan Going from Here to There My purpose is to provide the Why, What and How of a Ministry Action Plan so that every church can share their story effectively and enthusiastically. A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there." David Gergen Every Church and Attender have a Mission and a Vision! Where Are We? - Assess Where Are We going? Assess, Align How will we get there? Align Who, What, When - Action Vision, Mission and Strategy Development Our Purpose is to articulate a clear, compelling and contagious mission and vision for the church that fuels our passion, guides our decisions and sets boundaries for our journey. The future is purchased at the price of vision in the present. Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson You choose your future long before it arrives. Our purpose is to inspire people. We want people to look at us and say Because of you, I didn't give up. I found Jesus Dr. Steve Gedon Leadership 49 million Church Leadership 4.1 million Leadership 175,000 Church leadership over 42,000 Dr. Steve Gedon Mission & Vision In those days, Israel didn't yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion. Judges 21:25 "Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us." P.T. Forsyth 28 [Jesus] is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. 29 To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me. Colossians 1:28-29 New International Version (NIV) Strategic Planning Mission What is our noble purpose? Vision What do you intend the future to be? Mission Who we Are What we do Our mission is to be a bridge in our community that leads others to Christ, to discover their divine design, and to impact that world. Mission Why are we here? Church is not just a place to go, it is who you become. Mission Why are we here? Make Disciples of Jesus Christ for the Transformation of the World (1) Is it about Jesus? (2) Will it make Disciples? (3) Is it going to transform the World? Mission Vision What will it be like? What we want to be A vision is a picture of a future reality that ignites passion. A community of such contagious worship that can only be explained by the presence of Jesus, a partnership where people are stretched, connected and helping others reach their full potential in Christ. Vision Mission Vision Vision is the ministry compass that helps our leaders navigate through the ocean of decision. A leader's role is to raise people's aspirations for what they can become and to release their energies so they will try to get there. - David Gergen strategy A method or plan chosen to bring about a desired future, such as achievement of a goal or solution to a problem. StrategicStrategic The Church is not just a remnant of what was or security against what could be; it is an appeal to our better selves; a call to become something more. Church links together: The Story of God - Past The Promise of God - Future The Mission of God - Present Where there is no vision, people cast off restraint. Pr 29:18 Ultimatums Threats Intimidation Bully Tactics Passive Aggressive Gossip, complaining Parking Lot Mtgs Its really all about Me! Once Saved Always Saved Membership has its privileges The Church is a gas Station Church is a theater Survival of the Fittest Young Families Contemporary Ministry Connectional Low income Established Traditional Membership Independent High Income Church Council Strategic Pyramid Mission Statement (What You Do): A one-sentence statement describing the reason an organization or program exists and was called into being. It guides decisions about priorities, actions, and responsibilities. A Mission Statement describes why we exists; its purpose is to clarify and set boundaries. It answers the questions: What defines success according to God! What is our Scriptural Mandate? What actions and activities define who we are Vision Statement (Desired End-State, long): A one-sentence statement describing the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from an organization or programs work. Vision Statement (Desired End-State, short): A short memorable statement describing the clear and inspirational long-term desired change resulting from an organization or programs work. Own Your Vision Who we are Who we are Community needs, financial, culture, social issues Hopes, Fears, Needs, Desires, history What we believe What we believe Values, Boundaries, Wesleyan tradition, Apostles Creed Own Your Vision Where were going Where were going Vision for the future, dreams, goals, hopes, etc. Begin with the end in mind How well get there How well get there Priorities, initiatives, imperatives, programs, technology Own Your Vision Align with Gods Mission Assess Current Reality Act to Achieve Why we exist? What we want to be? Strategies Specific Targets Action Plan Developing a Strategic Plan Strategic Pyramid Clarity Clarity Who are we and where are we going? Community Community interdependence, openness Commitment Commitment ownership & responsibility Courage Courage Strength, Support, and Steps Why Bother? The greatest barriers to creating a realistic/useful strategy Honesty Time is Honesty and Time. Honesty Honesty is the best policy, Unless you want people to like you. Honesty How much do you trust your team? Is confidentiality a problem? How emotionally mature is your team? How do you handle conflict? Can you deal with Sacred Cows? Approval Bias really What if your mission is really to make everyone happy? Unspoken Mission Statement really Is your mission really to make everyone happy? Face reality as it is, not as it was or as you wish it to be. Jack Welch Preserve the building. Keep everyone happy. Maintain the organ. Protect the pastor. Get rid of the pastor. Never upset the secretary. Dont offend the choir. Never ask for money. Protect the endowment. Maintain a family feel. Never increase the budget. Avoid disagreement. Focus on current members. Survive at all costs. Shadow Mission Time Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most. The choice is between what is right, and what is easy. Time Discipline is choosing between what you want now and what you want most. How invested is your team? Quick solutions are rarely good solutions Values Methods Outcomes Spiritual Maturity Faith Healthy Relationships Love Life Satisfaction Joy Self-Confidence Hope WisdomAcceptance Faith 1.What is your noble purpose? 2.What do you stand for? What are the non-negotiable? 3.How are cultural forces are shaping your survival? 4.What is moving people to choose other churches? Vision & Mission Questions 1.What is your essential offering? 2.How will you delight and engage visitors? 3.Where will you invest to grow in the future? 4.What is your discipleship model? Vision & Mission Questions In those days, Israel didn't yet have a king, so each person did whatever seemed right in his own opinion. Judges 21:25 NIV Reactive / Problem Solving Orientation vs Creative / Outcome Orientation Two Distinct Approaches Reactive / Problem Solving 1.Energy and Focus is to bring something into existence 2.Action is taken deliberately to move toward something. 3. Requires risk into the Unknown Creative / Outcome What are your highest Aspirations? What Price are you willing to pay? What do you Value? Strategic Planning Risk Risk, Commitment, Faith and Togetherness 2. What is current reality in contrast to your Goals 1.What do you truly want? Values and Highest Aspirations (Membership > Ministry?) 3. What Actions will move you toward your Goals 4. Focus on accomplishing actions Measurable, Assignable, Specific, Simple Where Are We? - Assess Where Are We going? Assess, Align How will we get there? Align Who, What, When - Action Assess AlignAct Assess Assess your current reality 1.What is the real condition of the ministry? (facts, numbers, trends ) 2.Where are the real opportunities? 3.What are the real costs? money, time, etc. 4.What is the real goal? 5.Is it a pet project? 6.Can you describe it quickly and simply? Assess Align Is it inspiring and motivational? 1.What is Gods Spirit and Word saying regarding your vision? 2.Is it a calling, competition or sacred cow 3.Is your perspective, purpose and priority in line with the Lords Vision / Mission? 4.Is it confirmed by your team? Assess Align Prayer is asking God to align you to His will rather than us asking Him to be aligned with ours. Act Map clear steps toward implementation 1.This is where assessment and biblical alignment meet execution. 2.What training, reading or collaboration 3.Who will do what, when? (champion) 4.Reporting Structure - accountability 5.End goal Assess AlignAct 3 Phone calls InterruptionsVoice mail Reports Drop-ins 2 Planning Clarifying Values Relationships Vision/Mission Process - Improvement 1 Crisis Deadlines Meetings Repairs Trivia Internet Games Escapes Junk Mail Busy Work Phone calls InterruptionsVoice mail Reports Drop-ins Tyranny of the Urgent Crisis Deadlines Meetings Repairs UrgentNot Urgent Important Not Important Vision/Mission Planning Clarifying Values Relationships Process Improvement S TRENGTHS W EAKNESSES O PPORTUNITIES T HREATS Negative Internal factors External factors Positive SWOT Analysis SW OT Strengths Location & Parking Facilities Pre-School Center Strengths: Characteristics of this particular church that may give it an advantage over others; Ask someone outside the membership of the church SW OT Strengths Location Facilities Pre-School Centers Strength: The church is located on a busy street and has high visibility in the community. Ask someone outside the membership of the church Example SW OT Weaknesses Location & parking Aging Congregation Worship Style Weaknesses: Characteristics of this particular church that may be a disadvantage as compared to others; SW OT Weaknesses Location & parking Aging Congregation, Family Worship Style Weakness: A small percentage of the church population is young families. SW OT Opportunities Economic forces Social Forces Demographics Opportunities: Conditions outside the church that could potentially increase attendance or revenues; SW OT Opportunities Economic forces Social Forces Demographics Opportunities: The church is located in an area with a high population of Hispanic families. Example SW OT Threats Economic forces Social Forces Demographics SW OT Threats Economic forces Social Forces Demographics Example We value connections that awakens the soul, engage the imagination and set aflame the hope of adventure. By engaging the Word of God in worship, study and service, we seek to elevate the ordinary and routine to become the extraordinary and radical. A community of such contagious worship that can only be explained by the presence of Jesus, a partnership where people stretch and grow to reach their full potential in Christ, and a contagious enthusiasm that fills the emptiness created by poverty of mind, body and spirit. Inspire Invite Invest Impact Inspire Invite Invest Impact Inspirational Worship Intentional Growth Filling the Emptiness Contagious enthusiasm 2016 STRATEGIC PLAN Initiative #1: Inspirational Worship Experiences Initiative #2: Intentional Christian Discipleship Initiative #3: Impacting our World Initiative #4: Inviting Faith Conversations Inspire Invite Invest Impact We want as many people as possible to be brought into close proximity to the gospel, so that they will experience Jesus. Thats the starting point, for most people, on the journey to spiritual maturity. So what can we do in the upcoming year to provide opportunities for true worship? Goal One Inspirational Worship Experiences Our Goal: To inspire people through powerful praise and intimate worship of our loving Father to become passionate disciples of Jesus and build a community of caring. Increase average weekly worship attendance by 10 % within 12 months, create an environment invites participation, reflection and commitment to the journey Current : Average weekly attendance is ~ 230 How will you use social media? How will you utilize local media outlets? How can you leverage local events or host special events? What invite tools will you put in the hands of your members? What major campaigns will you use as an entry point for new people? Inspire Invite Invest Impact The real issue is, how do we help people see that they really belong, and that the best way to grow spiritually is to be a committed part of the body. As we face another year, were wrestling with questions such as: Inspire Invite Invest Impact Goal Two Intentional Christian Discipleship Create an environment for people to discover, develop and pursue their full potential in Christ Current: Appr. 85% of 2+ givers give less than $100/yr. Median gift of 2+ givers is ~ $200 / year Average Adult Sunday School Attendance ~ 50 Average Youth Sunday School Attendance ~ 50 Average Children Sunday School Attendance ~ 50 Disciples follow Jesus. They imitate his character and learn to be more like him, which only happens as they grow deeper in his truth and grace. Growing disciples dont depend solely on the weekend message as their source of spiritual nourishment. They become self-feeders who study the Bible, pray, give, and serve. Our role as church leaders isnt to produce spiritual maturity. Only the Holy Spirit can do that. But it is certainly our job to create the environment and supply the tools for God to work with. Inspire Invite Invest Impact Partnership A relationship between individuals characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility, for the achievement of a specified goal. Inspire Invite Invest Impact Covenant Commitment Cooperation How can you get every member into a small group? How can you give every member a job, a role serving the body? How can you best challenge more people to commit to membership? How do you get people to take ownership of the mission of your church? How do you reward long-term faithfulness? Inspire Invite Invest Impact Accountability Inspire Invite Invest Impact Contagious Worship Stretch and grow Filling the Emptiness Contagious enthusiasm How will your next twelve months challenge people to be like Jesus? How can you get devotional material into peoples hands daily? How can you remind people of the power and potential of prayer? Inspire Invite Invest Impact Contagious Worship Stretch and grow Filling the Emptiness Contagious enthusiasm When your members get involved in ministry, they are far more likely to become bringers. And the more leaders you have involved in ministry, the more your members feel connected and cared for. Your churchs capacity to grow increases as people leave their seats to serve others. How can you help people discover their unique, God-given SHAPE for ministry? Inspire Invite Invest Impact Contagious Worship Stretch and grow Filling the Emptiness Contagious enthusiasm How can you make people aware of all the opportunities there are to serve? How can you create more opportunities for people to serve? Inspire to excite, energize, and breathe life into Invest To commit in order to grow, produce, yield Impact To make a strong, lasting impression The mind cannot think without a picture. Aristotle Inspire to excite, energize, and breathe life into Invest To commit in order to grow, produce, yield Impact To make a strong, lasting impression Strategic Planning I want to Impact this world in light of the next. Inspire to excite, energize, and breathe life into (1)Engage Experiential, Image -rich, Sacraments, Fasting, Solitude, Personal (2)Communication Slides, Podcast, Sermon Notes (3)Experiential Healing, Emmaus, (4)Practical Next Steps, Unless there is within us that which is above us, we shall soon yield to that which is about us. P.T. Forsyth Invest To commit in order to grow, produce or yield Then you will understand what is right and just -- every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you. Proverbs 2: 9-11 (NIV) Strategic Planning Invest To commit in order to produce Strategic Planning (1)Bible Study / Wisdom / Confidence (2)Stewardship / Generosity (3)Small Groups / Fellowship / Compassion (4)Ministry Teams / Awareness / Gifts Impact the World To make a strong, lasting impression. Strategic Planning If you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. Isa 58:10 Impact the World To make a strong, lasting impression. Strategic Planning (1)Innovation / Creativity / Cultural Awareness (2)Testimony / Leadership / Disciple (3)Small Groups / Fellowship / Compassion (4)Ministry Teams / Awareness / Gifts