Day: June 2, 2016
How Your Church Benefits from Strategic Planning
In deciding whether or not to plan, there are often questions pastors have but seldom ask, at least not out loud. Do I really want to plan? Will a strategic planning process actually do any good? Do I want to spend all that energy in planning? My answer to all of those questions is a resounding yes! Why? Well, the benefits of planning far outweigh the alternative of not planning. Consider just a few :
Clarifies mission and core values
A successful process allows you to clarify your church’s mission, vision and core values. This then gives direction to the planning, operations and decision making of the church leadership. It also gives you a means by which you can evaluate current and new activities and build a plan for the future.
Identifies Priorities
Planning is not a process of prioritizing according to the tyranny of the urgent. Nor is it a random scheme of trying the latest best thing a pastor or elder read in a book. Certainly books can be helpful, but every church is different. What works in one setting may be far from appropriate in another setting. Through our process of due diligence, we work with churches to help clarify the critical planning issues and then begin to identify priorities. This helps to focus the staff and guide the planning process. In this way the eventual plans that come from the process fit the culture and are by no means random.
Establishes clear direction
Initially, we try to help the church create or clarify its mission, vision, critical issues and core values. This allows the church to move quickly through a process that establishes future direction by developing a road map of goals, strategies, action plans, timelines and budgets. I have had pastors and staff members complain about lay leaders inserting themselves into church operations. One of the great antidotes for this is to have a plan that the governing body has helped develop and ratify. Then if it’s not in the plan, you are not obliged to do it. Of course, if it’s a good idea that makes sense to most people, then you are also at liberty to revisit it. But having the plan gives you that flexibility.
Focuses decision making
Establishing goals, strategies and action plans allows the pastor along with the leadership team also to focus decision-making. That includes decision making not only for operations but also for important activities like ministry expansion, resource allocation, fundraising and church growth.
Enhances communication and teamwork
Once you have completed a planning process and are committed to implementing the plans, communication improves and teamwork grows. However, you have to be committed to the goals and manage to the plan. It’s not unusual during our planning processes with churches, to hear people share something like, “ I didn’t know you were doing that. I’m doing that as well!” Initially it’s funny, but the duplication of effort can also be quite costly.
Increases success
Ultimately, you want a process that leaves you with a plan that produces an increased level of success. Certainly that success can be measured in a variety of ways. However, the increased efficiency, effectiveness and commitment our process helps produce are primary factors that contribute to that success. Maybe our online products can help you.
St. Mary of the Knobs Catholic Church, Floyds Knobs, IN
St. Mary of the Knobs (SMK) parish had outgrown its church facility. Built in 1906 for 160 families, by 2005 the facility was serving more than 1,000 families. It was clear to the parish leaders that they needed a new church building. Pat Byrne, one of four campaign co-chairs explained, “With the growth of our school and church ministries and our future needs we knew the current facilities could not accommodate us. We had to act.”
Initially parish leaders had considered another consulting firm to help with the campaign. However, after one informational meeting with The Covenant Group they made their decision. Father John Geis, Pastor at SMK reflected, “The Covenant Group inspired us from the beginning. We saw it the first night we met with them. They were excited about our campaign.” Father John explained further, “We didn’t want a firm to come in, train our volunteers and then leave. The Covenant Group was there working alongside us throughout the whole process.”
Byrne credits the pre-campaign planning process of The Covenant Group as a key to the campaign’s success. “The feasibility study and the focus groups were invaluable,” said Pat. “They helped us listen to our members, determine the needs and priorities and communicate openly.” The feasibility study revealed that $5 – $6.5 million (at the high end) could be raised, but the parish needed both a worship center and a multi-purpose facility with a total estimated cost of $8.3 million. The Covenant Group suggested putting the full project in front of the parish, even though it was a significant stretch knowing that the projects could always be phased. Campaign Co-Chair Gary Libs added, “The Covenant Group process gave us the tools to communicate and showed us how to get people on board.”
Thus far, contributions total more than $10.9 million, with additional pledges continuing to come in. Pat Byrne recalled, “No one anticipated we could raise this amount. Even the Archdiocese is surprised. The funds raised represent about 15 times our annual giving. But it’s not just the financial results.” All of the Co-Chairs commented on the positive impact the campaign has had on the parish. Bill Sprigler noted that the church is more unified. “People are not in a hurry to leave church. They stand around talking more than they did before the campaign.” Father John adds that he has seen families return to the church that had stopped attending and he feels “a renewed and energized spirit among the staff.” Libs called the campaign, “the most exciting thing to happen in our parish in the last 100 years.”
Father John and each of the Co-chairs enthusiastically affirmed that they would unequivocally recommend The Covenant Group to other churches seeking campaign counsel. Gary Libs concluded, “The Covenant Group is superior in their profession.”