Managing the Plan

It’s important to regularly evaluate vision-driven plans, assess results and quantify outcomes. Ministry evaluation means that you actively manage the plan’s execution, with particular attention to its results.

Plan management includes at least three components:

• Knowing where you stand today
  (internal trends and community research)
• Knowing where your goals lie tomorrow
  (vision, values and goals)
• Making adjustments
  (strategies, action plans, measures and adjustments)

Because your church and community changes over time, your ministry action plan should be responsive and flexible. Some of your plans will achieve exactly what you expected. Others will be moderately successful. Still others will achieve an unintended result. That’s normal. At least some part of what we attempt should fail or fall flat in some way. If that doesn’t happen then we probably aren’t thinking outside the box as often as we should.

Strategies and action plans that don’t work have to be changed. Recognize that change can only occur through regular review of what you’re doing and how you’re doing it.

Growth Step 4

Measuring results is the final step in developing a ministry action plan. Regular evaluation includes:

• Measures – Benchmark progress made in achieving your strategies and action plans.
  • How do you know your strategy is working?
  • Measures are quantitative.
• Adjustments – Evaluate strategies and action plans with the stop, start or continue exercise.
  • What do you need to STOP doing?
  • What do you need to START doing?
  • What do you need to CONTINUE doing?
• Strategy Checkup – Make sure your objectives, goals, strategies, action plans and measures are strategically aligned.
  • Do objectives, goals, strategies and measures have strategic alignment?
  • Are strategies and measures sufficient to achieve your objectives?
  • Is your strategy selective? Does it communicate what you’re not going to do?
  • Are your strategies and action plans sustainable?