7 Principals

Module 1: Strategic Planning and Implementation

• Introduction to Strategic Planning and Implementation
  • Module Objectives
  • Purpose of Strategic Planning Module
  • What is Strategic Planning?
  • The Strategic Planning Process
  • Elements of the Strategic Plan
• Section 1:  Analyzing Your Existing Church
  • Defining the Primary Focus of Your Church
  • Determining Why You Exist as a Church
  • Determining Where Your Church Is Today
• Section 2:  Understanding Your Community
  • Determine Your Social Context
  • Study Demographics
  • Define Attitudes, Values and Religious Preferences
  • Identify Needs Your Church Can Address
  • Understand Your Customer Profile
• Section 3: Defining Your Identity
  • Identifying “True North”
  • Determining Your Core Values
  • Writing Your Purpose Statement
  • Developing A Philosophy of Ministry
  • Designing Your Vision Statement
  • Creating Alignment
• Section 4: Identifying Goals and Objectives
  • Hearing God’s Voice
  • Define Critical Success Factors
  • Identify God’s Goals and Objectives
• Section 5: Following God’s Direction
  • Develop an Action Plan
  • Analyze Resources and Assign Tasks
  • Examine Your Motives
  • Communicating The Plan
• Section 6: Developing Your Organizational Plan
  • Selecting the Best Organizational Structure for Your Church
  • Creating Your Organizational Plan
  • Developing Your Organization Chart

Module 2: Leading Change

• Introduction to Change Management
  • Module Objectives
  • Purpose of Leading Change Module
  • The Nature of Change
• Section 1: Changing Your Church’s Culture
  • Reasons Churches Resist Change
  • Two Kinds of Change
  • Principles for Introducing New Ideas
  • Creating Successful Change
• Section 2: Leading Change
  • Leading Yourself Through Change
  • Tips for Managing Change
  • Leading Others Through Change
  • Tips for Keeping Church-Focused
  • Communicating With Purpose
  • Tips for Communicating During Change
  • Pioneering Change
  • Managing Your Stress
  • Important Facts About Stress
  • Symptoms of Ongoing Stress
  • Conditions Leading to Stress
  • Preventing Excessive Stress
• Section 3: Implementing Changes in Your Church
  • Identify Influencers
  • Gather A Dream Team
  • Assess Who’s On Your Leadership Team
  • Prepare Members for Change
  • Search for Incongruities
  • Create Solutions
  • Implement Systems
  • Nurture Ministries
  • Provide Accountability and Celebrations
• Section 4: Anticipating and Managing Conflict
  • Feed the Hand That Bites You
  • Classify Your Critics
  • Turn Critics Into Coaches
  • Anticipating Specific Criticisms
  • Limiting The Criticism You’ll Accept
  • Constructive Criticism As The Norm
• Section 5: Creating A Culture of Innovation
  • Continual Process Improvement
  • Determine Which Systems to Improve
  • Analyze the Existing Situations
  • Determine the Scope of the Problem
  • Develop Alternatives
  • Improve Your Systems
  • Create A Culture of Innovation

Module 3: Organizing and Delegating

• Introduction to Organizing and Delegating
  • Module Objectives
• Section 1: Personal Organization
  • Analyzing Your Current Use of Time
  • Creating Your Time Management System
  • Time Management Techniques
• Section 2: Growing Means Delegation
  • What is Delegation?
  • Qualities of a Good Delegatee
  • Barriers to Delegation
  • Deciding What to Delegate
  • Choosing the Right Delegatee
  • Keys to Effective Delegation Processes
• Section 3: Effective Problem Solving
  • What Is A Problem?
  • The Problem Solving Process
  • Choosing the Right Tools
  • Section 4: Ministry Project Control Systems
  • Project Control Calendar

Module 4: Maximizing Key Ministry Positions

• Introduction to Maximizing Key Ministry Positions
  • Module Objectives
  • Purpose of Staff Systems
  • Staff Systems Overview
  • What Is A Staff Management System?
  • Looking Ahead
  • Considering “Calling”
• Section 1: Analysis of Need
  • Forecasting Your Staff Needs
  • Recognizing Hidden Investments
  • Conducting a Position Analysis
  • Developing Position Descriptions
  • Restructuring Your Staff
  • Developing Your Compensation System
• Section 2: The Hiring Process
  • Developing Your Recruiting System
  • Conducting the Initial Screening
  • Keys to Effective Interviewing
  • Evaluating Interview Results
  • Checking References
    Making the Final Selection
• Section 3: New Staff Member Orientation
  • Overview of the Orientation Process
  • Getting Acquainted With the Church
  • Getting Acquainted With the Position
• Section 4: Performance Appraisal Systems
  • Setting Biblical Performance Standards
  • Creating an Effective Performance Evaluation Form
  • Evaluating Staff Performance
  • Conducting the Staff Performance Appraisal
  • Maintain Appropriate Appraisal Documentation
  • Dealing with Poor-Performance and Discipline Issues
  • Conducting Exit Interviews
• Section 5: Creating a Staff Handbook
  • Guidelines for Creating a Handbook
  • Typical Handbook Contents
  • Legal Considerations
• Section 6: Training
  • Determining Staff Training Needs
  • Designing and Developing a Staff Training Plan
  • Training Methods and Resources

Module 5: Outreach and Assimilation

• Introduction to Outreach and Assimilation
  • Module Objectives
  • Application From Strategic Planning Module
• Section 1: Marketing Is Not A Four-Letter Word
  • What is Marketing?
  • 5 Myths About Church Marketing
• Section 2: The Missionary Mindset: Who’s Your Target?
  • You Are A Cross-Cultural Missionary (Yes, You!)
  • What Missionaries Do
  • Defining Your Target
• Section 3: Bringing Method to Your Madness: Marketing Plans Made Simple
  • Why You Need A Plan
  • The 5 Questions of a Marketing Plan
• Section 4: What’s the Big Idea? Developing Creative Advertising
  • Step 1: Get Real
  • Step 2: Say What You Want To Say: The Creative Brief
  • Step 3: Get the Right Person For the Job (It’s Not You!)
  • Step 4: Create the Ad: 15 Rules
  • Step 5: Spread the Wealth: Share Results Liberally
• Section 5: Getting the Message Out: Choosing the Right Media Vehicle
  • What is a Media Vehicle?
  • Media Staples: The Often Overlooked Basics
  • Beyond the Staples: Proactive Communication With Your Community
  • Direct Mail Specifics
• Section 6: Don’t Be Shy: Communicating Through Your Local Press
  • Why You Should Care About Your Local Press
  • Don’t Play “Hard-To-Get”
  • Developing An Effective Press Release
  • Interview Guidelines
• Section 7: Transitions: Reaching People at Critical Life Changes
  • What Are Transition Points?
  • Examples of Key Transition Points to Consider
• Section 8: Getting It Done: Budgets, Timelines and Research
  • A Few Words About Money
  • How Much Should You Expect to Spend?
  • A Direct Mail Project Example
  • A Radio Project Example
  • A Few Words About Time
  • A Sample of a Direct Mail Timeline From Start to Finish
  • A Sample of a Radio Timeline From Start to Finish
  • A Few Words About Gathering Information
  • Secondary Data: Using Other People’s Research
  • Primary Data: Doing Your Own Research
  • A Sample of an External Questionnaire
  • A Sample of an Internal Questionnaire
• Section 9: Assimilation Systems
  • Guest Path and Assimilation System
  • New Member Path and Assimilation System
  • Global Assimilation
  • Annual Evaluation

Module 6: Maturing Your Church Financially

• Introduction to Maturing Your Church Financially
• Section 1: Financial Forces Working Against You
  • The Rising Impact of Modernity
  • Loss of Urgency—“No Finish Lines”
  • Component Theology—“Pick and Choose Your Beliefs”
  • Pay Per View—“Fee For Services Rendered”
  • Loss of Heroes
  • Marginless Living—“Live It To The Edge”
  • Pervasive Materialism Message
• Section 2: Financial Forces Working For You
  • Results of Effective Ministry
  • Values Atmosphere
  • Stable Economy
  • Transfer of Wealth
  • New Generations to Imprint
• Section 3: Understanding Two Influential Forces
  • Society
  • Scripture
• Section 4: Developing Your Annual Financial Plan
  • The Principle of “Win”
  • The Principle of “Lift”
  • The Principle of “Keep”
  • Dealing with Donor Fatigue
• Section 5: Designing Your Financial Organization
  • Finding Financial Talent in Your Church
  • Internal Control
  • Financial Complexity
  • Financial Planning
  • Zero Based Budgeting
• Section 6: Strategic Preparation for Stewardship
  • Stewardship Campaign Components
  • Leadership in Stewardship
  • Key Principles for Effective Stewardship
  • Partnership Strategies
  • Establishing Ministry Ownership
  • Segmenting the Donor Base

Module 7: Developing Leaders and Teams

• Introduction to Developing Leaders and Teams
  • Module Objectives
  • The Importance of Developing Leaders and Teams
• Section 1: What Makes An Effective Leader?
  • Leadership Defined
  • The Foundation of Leadership
  • The Difference Between Leaders and Managers
  • Creating Success
• Section 2: Developing Your Leadership Potential
  • Leadership Self-Appraisal
  • Leadership Approach
  • Become A Life-Long Learner
• Section 3: Applying Your Leadership Skills
  • Leader Expectations
  • Exceeding Expectations
  • The Cost of Excellence
  • Understanding Leader Needs
  • Leader Involvement
• Section 4: Creating A Motivational Environment
  • Reward Based Motivation
  • Building a Motivational Environment
• Section 5: Developing Leaders
  • Developing for Improved Performance
  • Identifying and Developing Potential Leaders
• Section 6: Developing Effective Listening Skills
  • Building Reflective Listening Skills
  • Listening and Problem-Solving
  • Removing Communication Barriers
  • Understanding Nonverbal Communication
  • Providing Communication Leadership in Group Settings
• Section 7: Resolving Conflict and Dealing With Difficult Behavior
  • Resolving Conflict Between Others
  • Resolving Personal Conflict
  • Disciplinary Actions Resulting From Difficult Behavior
  • Dealing With Difficult People
• Section 8: Win-Win Negotiating
  • Separating Personalities From Issues
  • Discovering the Needs of the Other Party
  • Steps for Negotiating
• Section 9: It’s A Team Thing
  • What Is A Team?
  • Why Teams?
  • The Obsolescence of Hierarchy
  • Team Empowerment
  • Advantages of Teams
  • Setting Up and Supporting Your Teams
  • Meetings: Putting Teams To Work