Learn What Makes Your Congregations Unique (and How to Use That for the Gospel)
People come to church expecting clarity and direction. This kind of vision doesn’t happen on its own. The Missouri District offers strategic planning services to help you articulate and shape it for ministry that resonates with your flock and endures over time.
Strategic planning has many benefits for congregations and ministries.
No plan—no matter how well thought out—changes lives when it’s trapped in a binder. Our facilitators guide you through the process as a full partner, so you can lead your team to meaningful action, for results you can see and feel.
Appeal to Potential Pastors
If you have a vacancy or are about to start the Call process, strategic planning can help you attract the best pastor for your congregation. When a pastor interviews with a congregation that can express their goals and passions, it makes everything sound exciting. It helps you make a strong impression. However, when congregations can’t offer a clear vision, it can feel like the weight of the world is going to be on the new pastors.
Pastors want meaning, purpose and job satisfaction. Strategic planning helps your congregation be an even better place to work and attract the pastor(s) most likely to thrive there.
Uncover Your Gifts and Specialties
Every congregation is different, but sometimes it can be hard to see what makes your community distinct. Every member contributes to a rich tapestry of skills and passions that can open doors to new relationships and outreach. With strategic planning, you gain a fresh perspective and can ascertain what differentiates you from other congregations and community stakeholders.
Adapt to a Changing Neighborhood
They say the one constant in life is change. Plants close, employers move out or in, demographics shift, and the landscape of businesses and services can become unrecognizable in a matter of a few years. All of this has an enormous impact on the daily life in your neighborhood, as well as who chooses to live or commute there.
Strategic planning can help you decide how to become an invaluable resource to the people around, not to mention those in the pews every week.
Address Membership or Giving Stagnation
We know firsthand how much time and energy it takes to keep a congregation going. Most congregations face times of inactivity and passiveness. The pain of these moments often resonates through many aspects of life, including giving. There’s an expression, “Money follows mission.”
The insights you gather as you embark on strategic planning helps engage, inspire and catalyze members. This builds momentum, which helps grow the community—emotionally, spiritually and financially.
These are only a few of the benefits strategic planning will bring to your congregation. Contact Rev. Bill Geis to learn more.