Recharge Session 5

Values and Strategy

Session Agenda

1. Reconnect with your coaching group (if applicable).

2. Share a devotion and prayer.

3. Church Leadership Team Check In

Discuss the process of completing your final mission and vision statements with your team.
Are there areas of disagreement or conflict?
At this point in the process, you may sense conflict within your team. How you manage and lead through conflict will determine how well your team can lead change.
While some may have fully completed the assignments, other leaders may be working through church and community challenges. Be ready to assist others in the group and pray for breakthroughs as we lead through change.
Be sensitive to what you’re sensing from the Holy Spirit.
What are you (and your group) sensing from the Lord?
What can we learn from each other?

4. Defining Strategic Planning Steps

This session continues the strategic planning process with further discussion about mission, vision and core values statements. We’ll also have a first conversation about strategy. As we continue making strategic plans and leading others through the process, let’s define the steps we’re taking:

Mission – Why we exist.
Vision – What we want to be and do.
Core Values – What we stand for—our guiding principles.
Strategies and Action Plans – How we’ll get it done.
Goals – How we’ll measure it.

5. Advanced Strategic Planning Values Discussion

Malphurs suggests that every church works out of their values rather than their mission.
These values may be stated or not stated. Core values are those things which people hold dear.
An example in many traditional churches: The value of caregiving is more important than reaching people for Christ. If they are asked, “What is their mission?,” they may well state that it is reaching people for Christ. However, after careful examination, their true core value is caregiving. A member of a growing church told his pastor: “‘We’re disappointed in you because some members have been ill, and some of their family members were ill, but you did not visit them.” However, that same pastor has never had a complaint that the church may not be reaching people for Christ.
Examine Scripture and consider the church’s mission and vision statements as you begin developing core values.
Recognize how important it is that a church has stated core values that are supported by its members.
Consider the excellent core values examples in Malphurs’ book.
What are your key takeaways from Chapter 6?

6. Core Values Summary

Read the “Developing Core Values” outline by Everett Anthony. Use this outline to inform the next steps you take in developing your core values. Copy this document for your Church Leadership Team if desired.

Developing Core Values

Values clarify strategy.
Values clarify roles and responsibilities.
Values provide a foundation for strategic planning.
Values support your mission statement.

7. Core Values Development

Values further define what you’ll do and what you won’t do. They are more specific defining objectives that guide your church’s ministry work, strategies, action plans and budget.
There are no right or wrong ways to create church values. Churches will use different language and address different elements with their values. The important point is that values define the church’s direction more specifically than a one-sentence vision statement can. Values are vitally important because they focus church vision and keep staff and volunteers on the same page.
Complete the Core Values Worksheet. Start with your draft ideas and scripture references as a starting point for your work. Record your ideas as prep for your next Church Leadership Team Meeting.

Core Values Worksheet

What words or statements further focus your mission and vision?
Brainstorm words that further define your vision.)
Write phrases that are hyper contextual for your church and community.
Write draft one sentence or phrase core values.
Sample Core Values (PDF)
Potential Core Values (PDF)

8. Begin developing strategies and action plans. Reference your mission, vision and core values statements to provide direction for your strategic plan of action. You can also draw upon the demographic data you’ve collected about your church and community.

Select broad strategic areas that match your ministry priorities and core values. It’s best to limit the number of strategic goals you believe God is calling your church to address in the next year. It should be a least two, but not more than five. Strategic priorities could be:

Evangelism – E.g. Neighborhood outreach, attractional events, witness training and more.
Discipleship – E.g. Starting new Bible study groups—this includes recruiting and training new leaders and teachers.
Worship – E.g. Starting a new worship service that reaches new people.
Missions – E.g. Launching a new church or campus, church planting partnerships, reaching specific countries or cities with the gospel and more.
Facilities – E.g. New construction to facilitate growth or upgrading your church’s facilities.

Strategy & Action Plans Summary

Strategic Area - Link your strategy to one of your core values.
Strategy - Your strategy answers the question: How we'll get it done?
Numerical Goal (if applicable) - Set a measurable goal for your strategy.
Sub-Strategy (if applicable) - Complete this when there are multiple sub-strategies for a larger strategy.
Action Plans - Detail one or more tactics to accomplish your strategy.

9. To Do Items

Lead your Church Leadership Team to finalize a set of core values for your church. Recall that values further define what you’ll do and what you won’t do. They are more specific defining objectives that guide your church’s ministry work, strategies, action plans and budget.
Begin discussing stewardship and budget with your Church Leadership Team. Determine the percentage of your congregation that provides 80% of its financial support. Ask: What percentage of your church members provide no financial support at all?
Draw upon your research and the mission, vision and core values statements you’ve created to begin developing a draft strategic plan for your church.
Your church’s core values, mission and vision statements should be complete by the next session. Show these statements to a trusted ministry partner as an accountability step. If you’re in a group, duplicate your material and be ready to present it to your coaching group at the next meeting.

Meeting 6 Prep

(to be completed in preparation for Meeting 6)

Read Chapters 7-10 in Advanced Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs. Prepare to discuss strategy, goals and action plans at the next session.

Complete your church’s core values, mission and vision statements. Bring copies of your statements for each pastor in the group to the next meeting.

Resources

“Set the Journey” Strategy Development Process by OklahomaChurchPlanting.com