Thanks Tony. Just wondering whether you see any substantive difference between what you're calling 'strategic planning' and a commitment to regularly evaluating what we're doing in church and making adjustments/changes as needed?
Thank Tony, I think there is much merit in your thoughts here.
I actually think this is even more critical in reformed/evangelical theological thought (I'm lumping them together for ease - so please accept the generalization). It is too easy to sit back, doing what we always do because "it is God that gives the increase..." and "unless the Lord builds the house". Forgetting that there are labourers in the second part of the proverb. I like your balance - you should probably do it - but only if you don't want to. I think that captures the balance perfectly.
At the end of Peter Jensen's time as the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, he commented at the synod (the assembly of reps of all the Anglican parishes in Sydney plus a few reps of Anglican organisations) that the diocesan mission, including the stated goals and plans, were really about helping us to understand how impossible it is for us to reach these goals, and to drive us to prayer.
I think that might give us a helpful test when doing strategic planning. Is our trust in what we can do if we have the right strategies and goals, or is what we seek to do causing us to humble ourselves in dependance on the Lord of the mission?
Thanks Tony. Just wondering whether you see any substantive difference between what you're calling 'strategic planning' and a commitment to regularly evaluating what we're doing in church and making adjustments/changes as needed?
Thank Tony, I think there is much merit in your thoughts here.
I actually think this is even more critical in reformed/evangelical theological thought (I'm lumping them together for ease - so please accept the generalization). It is too easy to sit back, doing what we always do because "it is God that gives the increase..." and "unless the Lord builds the house". Forgetting that there are labourers in the second part of the proverb. I like your balance - you should probably do it - but only if you don't want to. I think that captures the balance perfectly.
At the end of Peter Jensen's time as the Anglican Archbishop of Sydney, he commented at the synod (the assembly of reps of all the Anglican parishes in Sydney plus a few reps of Anglican organisations) that the diocesan mission, including the stated goals and plans, were really about helping us to understand how impossible it is for us to reach these goals, and to drive us to prayer.
I think that might give us a helpful test when doing strategic planning. Is our trust in what we can do if we have the right strategies and goals, or is what we seek to do causing us to humble ourselves in dependance on the Lord of the mission?