Administrative Board Begins Development of Strategic Plan

On Tuesday, May 10, Brighton First's Administrative Board took action to develop a strategic plan for the ministry of our church. Board Chairman, John Phillips, described the resources to be used and outlined the process. Several members of the Administrative Board volunteered to be part of the writing team. The Board also suggested other church members to invite to the team. The Strategic Plan Development Team will have its first meeting on Tuesday, May 17.

John Phillips, Chairman of the Brighton
First Administrative Board and his wife, Kris

Why develop a strategic plan? The Vital Church Initiative Consultation Report states, "Strategic planning is key to seeing your ministry direction become a reality.  Your strategy helps you to accomplish several things: (1) to explore your ministry community and identify who you are most likely to reach; (2) design a process that will mold them into Christ’s disciples; (3) to mobilize the congregation, developing and aligning volunteers to maximize disciple‐making; (4) evaluate your facilities in terms of reaching your target; and (5) develop a stewardship plan for resourcing your goals."

In other words, the strategic plan gives our church direction and that direction helps us determine allocation of resources, leadership and discipleship training needs and building needs.

The Administrative Board, at John Phillips recommendation, has chosen to use the book Good Strategy/Bad Strategy: The Difference and Why It Matters by Richard Rummelt as a guide for strategy development. Rummelt suggests that every effective strategy has, at its heart, fundamental content. John Phillips explains the three main elements needed in these notes from Rummelt's book:

"A diagnosis defines or explains the nature of the challenge. A good diagnosis simplifies the often overwhelming complexity of reality by identifying certain aspects of the situation as critical. A guiding policy deals with the challenge. This is an overall approach chosen to cope with or overcome the obstacles identified in the diagnosis. A set of coherent actions are designed to carry out the guiding policy. These are steps that are coordinated with one another to work together in accomplishing the guiding policy. Good strategy is not just "what" you are trying to do. It is also "why" and "how" you are doing it."

The goal is to have a draft of the strategic plan ready for presentation at the July meeting of Brighton First's Administrative Board. If you have any questions, please contact John Phillips.