Proverbs 2:1-6; Philippians 1:9-10
Some keys to church planning seem to run counter to common practice. But applied intelligently, they can result in stronger, healthier churches.
- Ignore your weaknesses. The usual pattern for planning in churches goes something like this: size up the ministry, identify any major weaknesses, develop and implement a plan for removing them. Yet this strategy is counterproductive: time spent worrying about weaknesses siphons away time and energy better spent on identifying and developing strengths. Instead of taking a creative and proactive approach, planning ends up defensive and reactive. The result is most often a mediocre program. Churches, like individuals, have been gifted and called to do some things uncommonly well-and other things not at all.
- Don’t grease the squeaky wheel. Every church has its chronic and vocal naysayers. The natural response is to grease the squeaky wheels-to cater to their complaints in hopes of silencing them. Unfortunately, it seldom works, because complaining is what squeaky wheels do. Too much attention to the squeakers can convey the message that the best way to have influence is to complain. More important, it may mean that leaders listen to 20 percent of the people-the complainers-while neglecting the other 80 percent-the producers.
- Make fuzzy plans. The common assumption is that the best-run churches have the clearest and most detailed blueprint for the future. But more often effective churches make “fuzzy plans”-flexible plans that give general direction without committing anyone to an irrevocable course of action. For example, many churches commit to a highly detailed and restrictive annual budget. The planning process is drawn out and intense. Then once the budget is adopted, it can’t be changed until the next year. In anticipation of unexpected needs, view your budget not as a rigid ceiling on expenditures but as an educated (and somewhat hazy) guess of income and expenses in the coming year. So if something breaks, it can be fixed. If a badly needed piece of office equipment becomes available at a good price, it can be purchased. Ministry is then freed to move ahead.
To Discuss
- What are the dangers in not greasing the squeaky wheels?
- Making “fuzzy plans” seems to be a recipe for financial slippage. How does a church keep a rein on expenses while still remaining open to opportunity?
- What weakness should our church be ignoring?
From Building Church Leaders, published by Leadership Resources © 2000 Christianity Today.
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