Posts Tagged ‘Church Projects’

What Type of Outreach Program fit your Organization?

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Just as all churches are not the same, outreach programs also vary. Some outreach programs take place on the church′s premises while others are in conjunction with another community agency. When thinking about the type of outreach program that your church will take part in, there are a few things that you should keep in mind.

Size of your church. The physical size of your church as well as the number of members, are important factors in determining what type of program to implement. Smaller churches may want to work with outside agencies to provide outreach services if their facility or available bodies do not allow for hosting a project of their own. Instead of starting their own program, smaller churches may want to help the local American Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity, or Boys and Girls Club. Larger churches, on the other hand, might have the staff, size and resources to host an outreach program on its premises. Larger churches may be able to host a reading program, afterschool program, or senior day activities.

Time commitment. Starting an outreach program requires additional time of your outreach committee and congregation. When considering an outreach program think about the time that it requires. Does your congregation have time to devote four hours per week to an activity or should it occur once per month? Only take-on what your congregation can handle.

Expertise. If your church decides to host an outreach program (i.e. implement your own program), make sure that someone in the congregation has experience in the program area. If you′re considering an afterschool program, for example, do you have any teachers in the congregation? While the community will be grateful for the extra services, you should only provide services that can be administered appropriately.

Cost.  Each outreach program will come with various expenses. Outline the projected expenses for the different outreach programs that you′re considering and choose the option that best fits the budget of the church. By only taking on what your church can handle, you will be able to sustain the program over the long-haul.

Outreach programs should be approached honestly. The outreach committee should be honest about the capabilities of the church before starting a program. An evaluation of the church′s human, financial, and structural resources will reveal what type of outreach program it can handle.

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Strategic Planning for Churches

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Churches, like all organizations, must map-out how they plan to grow and/or sustain themselves over a period of time.  This can be accomplished through a strategic plan. Strategic planning steers an organization on the path to success. It is the framework that determines where an organization is going over the next year or more; how it””s going to get there; and how it will know if it got there or not. More specifically, a plan identifies the mission, vision and/or values of an organization; goals to work toward the mission, strategies to achieve the goals, and action planning (who will do what and by when)[1]. It increases effectiveness, efficiency, productivity, and accountability.

6 Steps for Church Strategic Planning

  • 1. Assemble a Team – Gather a diverse team of 5-7 church members to spearhead the strategic planning process. For example, choose congregation members of different ages, races, men and women, as well as church leaders to ensure that the voice of the entire congregation is heard. Be sure to pick team members that are grounded in their faith and are committed to seeing the church grow or thrive.  

Explain the team””s roles and responsibilities and provide a timeline for completion.

  • 2. Identify the church””s mission and vision- The mission of a church summarily states the purpose of the church given its activities and constituents. The mission statement should answer the questions, “Why are we here?” and “What are we supposed to be doing?”.[2]  

Vision statements create commitment and understanding by articulating how the organization sees the future. Vision statements answer the question of “What is being built?” It paints a clear picture of what the church will look like in 1 to 5 years.

  • 3. SWOT Analysis – A SWOT Analysis examines the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of an organization””s internal and external environment. Strengths and weaknesses of the organization as they relate to achieving the objectives of the organization are identified in addition to external/environmental opportunities and threats.

The SWOT analysis will help guide the remainder of the strategic plan by identifying what objectives are or are not feasible given the internal and external environment. 

  • 4. Identify Measurable Goals and Objectives – Goals and objectives are the big steps that it will take to achieve the church””s mission and vision. More specifically, goals can be seen as “micro-missions”. They are components of your church””s mission in that they also state what you plan to do.  

Each goal should have at least two objectives that are the stepping stones to achieving that goal. These objectives should be SMART. S.M.A.R.T refers to the acronym that describes the key characteristics of meaningful objectives, which are Specific (concrete, detailed, well defined), Measureable (numbers, quantity, comparison), Achievable (feasible, actionable), Realistic (considering resources/SWOT) and Time-Bound (a defined time line). 

  • 5. Create an action plan – Create a plan that clearly outlines how each objective will be achieved. The actions plan should not only have steps that need to be accomplished but it should also have a timeline (when should each step be completed?) and indicate who is responsible for making sure that it is completed.  

Each member of your team can be assigned a goal and create a task force consisting of other congregation members that will responsible for meeting the objectives under the goal. Specific action steps can be disbursed among the task force. 

  • 6. Present the Plan – When the strategic plan is complete, present it to the entire congregation. Make an event out of the presentation so that the congregation is excited about the direction the church is going. Use this time to get additional feedback on the plan and to gain more volunteers for the various task forces.

Strategic planning pushes your team to focus on the future and the commitment that it will take to make the church a success. It shows those who read it that the church is committed to a plan of action that is both sustaining and growth-oriented; one that will allow the organization to better serve its constituents.

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[1] Thompson, Anthony C. Anchoring Your Mission. Conference Presentation at the University of Central Florida Capacity Building Institute. March 2008.  

[2] Saint, Roy Lee. Florida Baptist Convention. Strategic Church Planning.

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Why Outreach?

Tuesday, March 17th, 2009

Churches throughout the country are on the fence about starting their own outreach ministry. While the Church has historically responded to the needs of the downtrodden, some feel that stepping outside of the walls of the church and seeking those who are “lost”, is a step over the line that differentiates churches from social service agencies. However, crossing that line may be the move that propels your church to higher levels.

Of the nearly 160 million unchurched people living in America, 80 million would be willing to attend worship services if they were invited or felt welcome. During today′s tough economic times and wave of hope, many of these unchurched people are seeking to restore their faith. But where shall they turn? Some of them have never attended a church service; others are so disconnected from their religious ties that they are hesitant to return. Afraid of being judged and ostracized, many may simply give up and return to their worldly ways. Those in the Word know that this is a costly decision.

What′s the solution? Reach out and bring those lost “sheep” back to the herd. Providing an outreach ministry to the community builds relationships between your congregation and the community. It allows your congregation to shine as lights and lead those who are hungry, drug-afflicted, and hurting out of darkness. Outreach serves as the missing link between those who are churched and those who are not. It creates a welcoming dialogue that fosters trust and understanding between the community and the church. Most importantly, it attracts new members to the congregation and strengthens your existing congregation. Outreach programs engage existing members by providing them with a means to apply what they have learned in worship services. It allows them to give back to the community, while also strengthening their spiritual purpose.

Creating an outreach ministry will, of course, bring new expenses to the church. Starting a homeless meal program, for example, means purchasing kitchen equipment, food, etc. Your congregation, like many others, may be operating with a budget with little room for “extras”. However, creating this outreach program will open the doors to outside funding. There are many foundations that will fund your outreach project. Your congregation can achieve your outreach goals without sacrificing other church projects.

Overall, the decision to create an outreach ministry is one that should be considered carefully, it takes time, money, and hard work. However, implementing an outreach ministry offers benefits and services that reach far beyond that of conventional growth methods.

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