Characteristics of Good Planning
In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensible. —Dwight D. Eisenhower[^1]
Spending the time to plan is preparation for making strategic decisions on the fly when the battle is raging.
Rivers are powerful when they are narrow and deep. You never see a power plant built in the swamp. A magnifying glass is powerful enough to start a fire with rays from the sun when it is focused.
Warren Wiersbe: “Methods are many, principles are few, methods always change but principles never do.”
Good planning starts with a good understanding of the common principles that are true of healthy ministries. Methods of how to implement those principles are as unique as every church in unique communities.
Values Based Planning means that the principles of how we carry out ministry will be reflected in the methods that we use to execute the ministry plan.
The Founding Fathers of the US were most concerned at the Constitutional Convention to figure out the principles that would lead to choosing the right President, not just how to pick one.
1. Develop Your Plan as a Team, Across All Ministries.
Everyone should be involved in the planning process. The goal is alignment, so that all the vectors are moving in the same direction. The goal is not to come down from the mountaintop with a plan, but to engage the team in wrestling with the best plan for the team.
2. Look In
Define Reality - “You are Here” on the map. This takes courage, but until you determine where you are, you cannot make plans for where you want to go.
3. Look Back
Appreciate the unique identity of past ministries - Value the blessing. Hold tightly to your values, but hold loosely to your practices.[^2]
Look Up
What is God uniquely calling your church to do? Who is He calling you to reach? What are the unique needs of your community, that God has placed you in your location to meet?
Look Foward with a Bias Toward Action.
Planning without action is wasted effort.
Create a Cadence of Accountability
You need to have regular check-in meetings to monitor, manage and modify your plans moving forward. Maybe create a scoreboard for the team to help everyone see the progress being made.
Revisit the plan regularly to keep the big picture in mind
It is easy to lose focus on the details and forget the big picture of what needs to be accomplished.
These characteristics will not guarantee success, but they will help assess if you are on the right track and ensure that everyone is clear on the ultimate goal.
[^1]: Morgan, Tony. Developing a Theology of Planning . LiberWriter.com. Kindle Edition. [^2]: Morgan, Tony. Developing a Theology of Planning . LiberWriter.com. Kindle Edition.
