Administration and Strategic Planning

                  I.          Ministry and Management

A.    Failure to realize the importance of management in the church is the reason for the failure or limited success of many Ministries.

B.     Jesus was a good Business manager as indicated by what he accomplished during his time with the twelve and the seventy.

C.    The apostles were overwhelmed with management in dealing with the growth of the Jerusalem church.

            II.                Vision and Administration

A.    Management involves understanding how Vision must interact with Administration

B.     The interaction between Dynamic Development, Structure, and Maintenance.

III.             Becoming a Goal Manager

A.    You are manager.  A manager is someone who has received a stewardship

B.     Parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30)

                                    1.  We each have been entrusted with something to manage

                                                a.  Revelation (mysteries of Christ)

                                                b.  Family/Friends/Marriages

                                                c.  Gifts Talents, & Abilities

                                                d.  Money & Wealth

                                                e.  Calling & Gifting

                                                f.  Personal Faith

                                                g.  Churches

                                                h.  Servant/workers-People

                                                I.   Time...

j.        The Gospel...

k.      Business

l.         Properties

2.  We will be judged eternally based on how we manage the King’s             resources!

C.    The Four Kinds of Managers.

1.      Crisis Manager

2.      Time Manager

3.      Resource manager

4.      Goal Manager

D.    Paul was a Goal Manager

1.      I Corinthians 9:24 “…Run in such a way that you may win…”

2.      Philippians 3:14 “…I press on toward the goal…”

3.      I Timothy 1:5  “…The Goal of our Instruction…”

E.     Define the Goal.

1.      There are many objectives-but only one Goal

2.      The Goal must apply in every area of your life-marriage, children, relationships, Christian walk, church, physical health, finances, etc.

3.      This Goal becomes the ref-point and measuring rod of all activity or achievement

4.      I define the Goal this way

a.       I want to do Gods will

b.      God’s will in God’s way in God’s place and in God’s time

c.       Every area of my life is subjected to these questions.

F.     Knowing His will requires knowing Him!

1.      Job

2.      Whole book is about a man wanting God’s presence

3.      All through his ordeal-Job never asked why?

4.      God never explained what happened to Job-Satan’s visit-God never explained why it took place.

5.      Job 42:5,6 All Job wanted was to see God--when he did he was satisfied!  No more questions

6.      Knowing His will without knowing Him-is legalism

7.      When I know Him-the goal is before me-and the goal is reached....

8.      Phil. 3:8 I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord...

9.      We don’t come to Jesus so He can help us accomplish our goals-we come to Him so we can see what His goals are!

10.   Once we know His will/we realize we need His help to do it!

G.     Goal Management includes all other forms of management but they are subservient to the goal!

                                    1.  Manage time with goal in mind

                                    2.  Manage crisis with goal in mind

                                    3.  Manage resources with goal in mind

H.    Goal management demands constant growth on our part...

IV.              Strategic Planning and Implementation

Plan to work and work the plan — Proverbs 15:22 — Without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.

A. Most important and productive time team can spend is planning time.

B. Planning defines objectives and severs obstacles before they happen

C. Planning defines roles, responsibilities, and functions

D. Planning redeems time by removing obstacles

E. Planning counts cost, manages time, and regulates resources

F. Planning gets everyone on same page. Every joint supplies

G. Planning requires thinking before speaking, acting, or leaping

H. Planning separates real obstacles from excuses

1. Opinions from truth

2. Facts from fiction

3. Dreams from reality

                                                • if it is not practical, it is not spiritual!

            V.                 Growth Barriers in the Church

                  A.  Vision

1. Destination, Destiny

                        2. Movie not a snapshot

                        3. One vision, God’s — He is not schizophrenic

                  4. Every member ministers

      B.  Relationships

1. Leaders are relationship facilitators

                        2. Size of group does not hinder or help relationships

                        3. God’s will, God’s way

                        4. Seven relationship principles

                        5. Teamwork/Productivity/Enthusiasm

      C.  Communication

1. Method of knitting hearts

                        2. Way we build bridges

                        3. Way we impart vision — recruit citizens

                        4. 25% verbal  — 75% non-verbal

                        5. Getting everyone on the same page

                        6. More difficult as numbers increase

      D.  Administration

1. People, places, things

                        2. Constantly improving

                        3. How to get things done

                        4. Right people, in right place, doing the right thing, with the right tools.

                        5. You will not grow beyond your relationships, vision, communication, and

                        administration.

Steve Youngblood