Creating a Game Plan: Making a Plan is Planning Not to Fail

There's a quote that is a favorite in church leadership and also in business: 'failing to plan is planning to fail'.

That speaks truth when it comes with all aspects of our lives- ministry, business, family and even at a personal level. Whether small or big scale, having a strategic plan is needed. It serves as the church/ self or company’s game plan if it desires to compete successfully in the world. Strategic planning is synonymous with strategic management. The latter is often used in the academia while the former is often used in the business world. 

Becoming a pastor of a thriving church have taught lessons of always creating a 'game plan' in order to reach the church's goals, purpose, vision and mission. In the world one of the focuses of having a strategic plan is marketing. Convert it to spiritual matters it might be called in different terms; winning the lost, evangelism and so forth. 

Am I saying that we must 'market' the Gospel? No and Yes  . 

First is No. The Gospel could never be bought or sold but a Gift from God through Jesus.. 

Second is Yes. As a Management major I learned that if we are going to do the Heavenly Father's 'Business' we must learn how to present it to get ahead of the competition (not other churches but the enemy of our souls) and generating, satisfying the will of the Father in a target time and date. 

A 'marketing strategy' will greatly help the Body of Christ to convert all the resources whether it is the people and their capabilities and turn it into opportunities with the best process. Its purpose is to increase the total 'profit' of the church- in short, people being saved and brought at the feet of Jesus within the aimed harvest field and at the same time it hits the church’s goals and vision and creating a sustainable competitive advantage against the enemy.  We don't need to look further, just read the life of Jesus. In three years time He gave an example of a 'strategy' that narrows down the list of work we need to do for His vision. When he said that we must 'go and make disciples', it was not a suggestion but a great commission. Very overwhelming isn't it? How on earth are you going to 'make disciples of all nations?' Yet he simply led by example.Here's a few points:

1. He himself was a Disciple of God
2. He created a system, strategy to reach everyone in a SMART manner (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time bounded) by winning and training 12 men or disciples that he passed on his vision of salvation in just 3 years. 

No wonder He is the the Son of God and also God Himself- omnipresent and omnipotent. But its amazing to analyze in the aspect of management. Discipleship should never be questioned at church- its part of His command. And it should never be thought to have stopped just at the time of the disciples. It was that very purpose that Jesus portrayed that strategic plan so that His message and work for salvation will live on as He does in eternity. That until the message will continues to spread and 'until all the nations have heard the Gospel' (Matthew 24) in the last days, that is when He will finally come. Without that vision of multiplication and the strategy of making 12 disciples who will carry it out and in turn win another 12 to pass it on, we wouldn't be here now and will be continuing until He comes (discipleship sustains).

Paul said in Philippians 1:6- that the Good work that started the moment we believe in Him until Jesus comes. How will that 'good work' continue if we don't? Christian life- radically lived, is like a 'suicide mission' as we are called to be 'lambs among wolves'. How will we ever endure? 

I learned in the life of the Savior. He taught them to go in pairs, to be one of mind and Spirit and move seamlessly like a human body functions. To utilize His 5 gifts in the church- the prophets, apostles, pastors, teachers and evangelist. To 'Develop' them. You don't become an evangelist ASAP- much is an Education major right after enrollment. It will take 4 years of study and even passing the board exam. There is a 'process'. Jesus Knew that. 

God is truly a great planner when He declared this: 'For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.' Jeremiah 29:11 

Soli Deo Gloria!