A STRATEGIC PLAN EXPLORED (Part One)
Introduction:
[Several months ago I was asked to put together a strategic plan for a church to become more organic and simple. The following article is what I submitted with a few editorial changes.]
The following strategic plan is in no way exhaustive and set in stone. It is still in the theoretical stage, and will certainly need to be tweaked as the opportunity to apply this plan is pursued. The idea of merging the concepts of organic, simple church to a traditional attractional model church is revolutionary. Although some have accomplished this with success (1), it is still experimental and risky. With the Lord’s direction can an already established congregation be lead into a more simple and organic church life? I will share this strategic plan in six parts over the next few days.
- Part One: Introduction and A Personal Note
- Part Two: Foundations and Definitions
- Part Three: The Problem
- Part Four: Philosophy Of Ministry – Guiding Principles and Goals
- Part Five: Strategic Steps
- Part Six: Challenges and Conclusion and
A personal note:
Several months ago my wife and I were observing the fact that some of the things we were doing were changing and not producing the results we were expecting. We felt like we were adrift and needed to hear from the Lord regarding what we should do or what needed to change. So we took a few days off and went away to seek the Lord. We found a beautiful cabin the mountains of southwestern Virginia and determined to find our way as we listened to the Lord. To make it brief, what we discovered was that because of my ideal view of what the church should be, I had become stingy with the calling and gifts that the Lord had freely given me. I was given these gifts to minister and equip the Body of Christ, but because of my dreams for Church as God sees it, I was withholding what Jesus had given to me.
The solution is not yet clear other than I need to stop being exclusive and be willing to serve the Church regardless of how she functions. Therefore I committed myself to the Lord to serve his bride no matter what she looked like. That brought be to a place to consider what a more blended church would look like and the process to bring her to a more organic, simple expression which gave me the opportunity to write up this strategic plan. By “coincidence” after this time of seeking the Lord, I had received Neil Cole’s newest book (with Phil Helfer); “Church Transfusion – Changing Your Church Organically From the Inside Out” which greatly influenced some of my conclusions and observations. I recommend this book greatly.
I hope that this strategic plan will get you thinking about this process as well. Our next section will be discussing some foundational issues and definition regarding simple, organic church.
Don
Footnotes:
(1) Cole, Neil, Church Transfusion – Changing Your Church Organically From the Inside Out, Jossey-Bass, 2012
March 15, 2013 at 8:49 am
Looking forward to the rest of your observations, Don…
March 18, 2013 at 1:32 pm
It will be seen that it is not a matter of substituting another and better system for an old and poor or bad one. Some people seem to think that it is all, or largely, a matter of the order, technique, and form, and if we returned to the “New Testament” form or order of churches, all would be well. The fact is that, while certain things characterized the New Testament churches, the New Testament does not give us a complete pattern according to which churches are to be set up or formed! There is no blue-print for churches in the New Testament, and to try to form New Testament churches is only to create another system which may be as legal, sectarian and dead as others. Churches, like the Church, are organisms which spring out of Life, which Life itself springs out of the Cross of Christ wrought into the very being of believers. Unless believers are crucified people, there can be no true expression of the Church. T. Austin Sparks
March 18, 2013 at 5:43 pm
Good point Bryon! It’s not a model, or a method. It is always Jesus and our submission to him.