In Developing a Strategy for Missions, we operate from the following definition:
Strategic planning is a prayerfully discerned, Spirit-guided process of preparation, development, implementation, and evaluation of the necessary steps involved for missionary endeavors.
Prayerfully Discerned
The development of mission strategy is a supernatural process. While resources abound on the development of military and business strategies, mission strategy is dynamically related to the Father of mission. Before a team begins to think through and develop a strategy, it needs to pray. Prayer must precede and remain an essential part of strategic planning. The Lord of the harvest works through the prayers of his people to guide in strategy development. If strategy is from the Lord, then prayer is a part of the process of knowing, understanding, and accomplishing what the Father has in mind in making disciples of the people.
Spirit-Guided
The Spirit of God is living and active. He is at work in the lives of the missionaries even before they arrive where he has called them to serve. He provides leadership. For example, Philip was led by the Spirit to the Ethiopian (Acts 8:29). We must also remember that the Scriptures note: “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps” (Prov. 16:9). Those laboring to develop mission strategy must understand the importance of walking in fellowship with the Spirit. Unconfessed sin that grieves (Eph. 4:30) and quenches the Spirit (1 Thess. 5:19) interferes with the development of strategy. The development and implementation of mission strategy are supernatural endeavors.
Process
Strategy involves movement. Teams wish to progress from where they are to where they believe their ministries should go. The development and implementation of a strategy do not occur instantaneously. Even the simplest of strategies requires an action step or two before the end vision is accomplished.
Preparation
It is important that strategists do their homework before developing a strategy. All the important elements of knowing oneself, the team, and the context are found in the area of preparation. Matters such as knowing the vision to be accomplished, the theological and missiological values of the team, and understanding the targeted people geographically, demographically, culturally, spiritually, historically, politically, and linguistically are part of preparation.
Development
Development involves thinking through the major and minor steps necessary to see the vision fulfilled. Although this element of strategic planning is still a theoretical construct in the beginning, it is nevertheless important to consider how the team will practically move from point A to point B. Teams consider the realities that must occur in order for each particular step to be taken and the desired vision achieved.
Implementation
Strategy is not meant to remain in a notebook on a shelf or in a document on a computer. It is intended to be implemented. Failure to implement the strategy will result in failure in accomplishing what the team set out to do. Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan refer to this act as execution. According to them this matter is vital to the outworking of a strategy. They note, “You can’t craft a worthwhile strategy if you don’t at the same time make sure your organization has or can get what’s required to execute it, including the right resources and the right people” (Bossidy and Charan 2002, 7). The plans must be applied on location.
Evaluation
While the word evaluation occurs at the end of the definition of strategy, in reality it is a part of the overall process. It must engulf everything the team does, even before it arrives at its place of service. Evaluation begins when the vision to be accomplished comes onto the horizon. It continues through the establishing of goals. Evaluation occurs as action steps are taken to accomplish those goals. From start to finish, mission strategy must be immersed in the sea of evaluation. Strategists must be good stewards of the Lord’s resources. They want to know what is working well and not so well to reach people with the gospel and multiply churches. Evaluation helps in the process of making adjustments along the journey of implementing strategy.
Developing a Strategy for Missions was released this week. I hope you will get a copy and allow it to assist you in your strategic planning. In my next post in this series, I plan to share the five important practices of strategy development.
