Seven Year Plan of Ministry

An impossible task has been set before the churches of our conference. The bishop and superintendents have asked us to provide them with a plan for the next seven years of our ministry. Seven years! We don’t even know what we are teaching during Soul Food this fall, and they want a seven year plan? Many of us preachers chuckled and rolled our eyes, thinking that this will be another project assigned to ministers and their people that will result in a piece of paper, filed and never to be seen again. Poor attitude? Maybe. Cynical? Certainly. But we’ve done this exercise before.

Yet, I am still enough of an optimist to see the benefit of long range hope. And we have also learned that we will never accomplish anything new without making a plan and setting forth. So with this hope I sat down to write a seven year plan of ministry for Edgemont. (Plus, our D.S. threatened the preachers with punishments untold if we didn’t.)

Un-approved as yet, and seen only by me so far, here it is. You will benefit from having a better idea where your preacher is coming from, and the kind of Gospel I feel called to preach. And perhaps this can be a starting point for new goals and enthusiasm at EUMC.

Seven Year Plan of Ministry for Edgemont

1. Develop a clear (better) understanding of evangelism, and a sense of urgency for making more disciples of Jesus (immediately)
   We have received untold grace from God in Jesus Christ. If we aren’t sharing this best-news-ever with as many people as possible, maybe we don’t really believe it in the first place?
2. Craft our worship services to effectively attract non- and nominally-religious people in the Shoals community (1 year – 18 months)
   With an eye toward our 1st goal, we will evaluate and improve our three worship services. We are willing to change what needs changing for the cause of sharing Jesus, perhaps even beginning new services. We will create authentic worship that fits us, and attracts others. (i.e. Thursday @ 8pm, Saturday night, etc.)
3. Focus attention firmly on the future (immediately – 7 years)
   While vision/mission statements may be somewhat overrated, there is no denying that a BHAG (big, hairy, audacious goal) is a truly motivating force. We need a BHAG, with some smaller HAGs along the way. (This BHAG will probably focus around children and youth.)
4. Continuously evaluate our effectiveness in all areas of ministry (continuously)
   …eliminating weaknesses, and building on our strengths. We have already found some success using the Natural Church Development process. Along with NCD we will also emphasize “all members in service” based upon their spiritual gifts.
5. Develop a hunger for the spiritual disciplines (immediately – seven years)
   We will provide teaching, encouragement and opportunities to help disciples grow in their faithful practice of prayer, study, stewardship, service and witness. Our methods will include classes, book clubs, small groups, prayer teams, art forums (SWtMoX), fellowship, community outreach/gatherings, worship, mission trips…
6. Create and Develop an awareness that stewardship is a lifestyle, not just a weekly check. (immediately – seven years)
   Stewardship means ‘how we use our stuff,’ which includes everything. Are we using every moment and resource at our disposal to follow Jesus, to serve others in his name, and to share God’s grace?
7. Become passionate about missions and helping others (international in two years)
   …in the name and way of Christ through local, regional and international mission efforts. This will help us to overcome our tendency (like every church) toward an inward focus. Some call this tendency “naval gazing.” Tony Campolo calls it “spiritual incest.”
8. Continue to refine our structures and leadership around the mentoring model (immediately – full implementation in three years)
   We have done some work in this regard, but our committees and teams could really use some firing up. Lot’s of great ministry is happening, but lots more could be accomplished if we were more organized and communicated better.

The time frame on each item may seem short. Recently I remarked that sometimes I am impatient with myself. While healing from a cold or injury I want to be better now. But often, God will remind me that I need to relax and trust God to take care of me. Well, this seven year plan will take at least seven years, but our attitude needs to be ‘persistent, powerful, patient, and hopeful.’ Eugene Peterson wrote a book called A Long Obedience in the Same Direction [at amazon]. I haven't read it yet, but it sounds like one that would be good for me.

I offer this plan as a starting point, but lets get started. And may all of our lives glorify God.

Comments

[Scott Coats]

I like the plans. I look forward to the discussion of them over the next few weeks.

I especially like #2. One question, though... 3 worship services? I guess that's counting youth worship?

By the way, I do enjoy a good B-HAG. But I hate all the little HAGs it takes to get there. I'm glad there are those who like the little HAGs also.

[Larry Baskin]

Eric, Good stuff. I keep thinking I'm not doing my "job" because I'm failing to focus time, energy, presence, and still more time on leader development/mentoring/coaching/being-with/rubbing off on... You get the picture.