Ministry Makeover
by Gary Strudler
posted 8/01/2005
 2 of 4
Step 2 - Strategize
Blueprints were drawn for our house remodeling. Everyone—my wife, me, our contractors—needed to see where we were going, the work that needed to be done, and what role they played. While assessing is seeing what you do and don't have in relation to where you are and where you want to go, strategizing is developing the plan for how you are going to get there. In regards to ministry changes, we formulated plans and timelines. And we shared them with others.
For instance, we developed a communication strategy to keep all church staff, volunteers, and the entire congregation informed. Large sheets of paper hung on our office walls with questions that still needed to be answered and various timelines. Meetings took place for leaders and parents to educate them about the changes and why they were happening. We placed a critical value on keeping everyone informed of the what's, when's, how's, and why's. I constantly brought everyone back to where we believed God wanted to take us, and the idea that maybe He was going to do something immeasurably more than we could ever ask or imagine (Ephesians 3:20).
Step 3 - Obtain permission
With home remodeling blueprints tucked under our arms, we took all our plans to the county planning commission to secure the necessary work permits. We were excited to finally see our house project underway. What I thought was going to be an easy day at the county office turned into months of frustration as we tried to meet all their requirements. Although painful, the permission process did bring more detail and clarity to our plans. Same goes for significant change to a ministry—obtain all necessary approvals before the work begins. To do this, you have to lead in many directions.
While leading up to senior management, we provided clarity about the dividing wall that existed in our children's ministry and what we proposed to take it down. We explained that our planned changes—including re-engineered mission and values—would result in better alignment with the rest of our church. We outlined specific role changes and a new staff organization built around purposes and not just positions. To do all this effectively, I needed to learn each senior leader's language and what they individually required to make decisions about our proposed changes. For example, the business administrator needed to understand that we were not asking for any additional staff positions. The senior pastor required assurances and confidence that our ministry would stay consistent with his direction and vision for the church. We showed several other people that we would become a ministry that allowed people to serve in areas consistent with their gifts and passions.
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