A. Planning and Goal-Setting are Godly actions.
Planning and Goal Setting is the action of discerning and implementing processes to align you, your vision towards God’s plan and purpose. Proverbs 29:18 explains that without vision, the people perish.
- The word vision means, revelation from God about His plan.
- The word perishes means, become unbridled, lack direction or focus.
- God had a plan for all of creation. (Isaiah 37:26)
- God makes plans for every single person. (Jeremiah 29:11)
- Strategic Planning was demonstrated throughout Scripture.
- Moses was instructed by Jethro to strategically delegate. (Exodus 18:1-27)
- Joshua was instructed by God in how to defeat Jericho. (Joshua 6)
- Nehemiah crafted and implemented a plan for rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. (Nehemiah)
- Jesus crafted a plan to recruit, train and send out disciples for the Gospel. (Acts 1:8)
- Paul had a plan to preach were no man had preached. (Romans 15:20)
B. Many people have a vision but few people create a plan and strategy that they can implement. The church planter must seek God’s will and take the time and effort to create the corresponding plan. (James 4:14,15)
- Consider the life of Joseph and how God positioned him even through suffering and trials to learn administration, organization and planning.
- Joseph learned how to tend to administrative matters that would allow him to take care of his family and an entire nation during a great famine in later years.
- The planning process allowed the Lord to work miracles of provision and blessing.
C. Strategy must be clear, written and measurable.
- A plan must have clearly stated action items or tasks.
- Each action item or task should have a desired outcome.
- Each outcome will likely be measurable in either number or time.
- These items need to be plotted into a calendar so that progress can be tracked.
- Completed items and milestones should be celebrated as each step of the strategy is being accomplished.
- Outcomes are not the same as Output.
- Outcome: something that happens as a result of an activity or process.
- Output: the amount of something that is produced by a person or thing.
- Outcomes are transformational, effect change, and can be visible in variety of capacities. Output is generally numerical and can only be judged by quantity and not quality.
- Outcome based initiatives will lead to health, transformation and subsequent growth in numbers.
- Outcome based evaluation will provide information to strengthen weaknesses and address areas of lack.
D. Planning and strategy help maximize your potential. (Proverbs 29:18)
- Good leaders make and implement plans. (Proverbs 16:3, Psalm 90:12)
- The Holy Spirit will guide you in the planning process. (Psalm 20:4, Psalm 16:9, Isaiah 28:29)
- Potential is maximized as personal passion connects with a God inspired plan.
- Accomplishing tasks and seeing your progress will add fuel and inspiration to the process of fulfilling the plan and strategy.
- Potential is increased exponentially as you work in cooperation with a team for the purpose of fulfilling the vision!