Planning is the act or process of making or carrying out plans. It is the establishment of goals, pplicies and procedures for a thing.
You will not be able to move from where you are now to your next destination if you do not plan for it. You have to have a plan; follow that plan carefully to be able to achieve same.
God Himself is a planner. You can see how He planned the earth and the heavens.
Gen3:15
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel” (NIV)
Here God was stating His Plans for sending Jesus to come and bruise the head of the serpent. This plan took 4000 years before it was fulfilled. Between that day and the day it happened on the cross, every activity of God in the scripture was a gradual fulfilling of the plans he has made.
God is a planner, He said “I know the thought I think towards you. “ Another translation says “I know the plans I have for you”
Any enterprise is built by wise planning, become strong through common sense, and profit wonderfully by keeping abreast of the facts – Prov. 24:3 (TLB)
“Through wisdom, a house is built. And by understanding it is established; By knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches” Prov. 24:3-4 (NKJV)
Notice that the Scripture says any enterprise whether church growth, financial growth, marriage or personal issues, they all require wise planning. After you have prayed, a plan of action has to be developed which God will use to actualize the answers to your prayers. Do not work presumptuously All that you think you can do, put them in a plan on paper a guide. God can overrule if He feels like and you would not be losing anything rather than leaving your life to chance
“But as many as are led by the Spirit…..Rom 8:14.
Let the spirit lead you to develop a plan of action. Being led by the spirit does not in any way imply lack of planning, rather He, the Holy Spirit, leads you to have a plan while in your planning session. Ask Him His mind or opinion concerning the project.
God created us with mind, intellect, emotion and will, etc. We have brain not for decoration but for action. We must engage ourselves fully.
ENVIRONMENT CONTROLLED
We all live and minister from different environments. Each environment has its peculiarities and challenges quite different from one another. Therefore, the challenges and opposition in Nigeria for example are not the same for Zambia. Even within Nigeria for instance, living and ministering in Kano state in the North and Port-Harcourt in the south poses different sets of challenges. The plans I will make and the strategy I will adapt will definitely differ from where you are. The knowledge of the environment is very necessary in my planning.
Secondly, I would need to carry out a study on the kind of people dwelling in my territory. What their levels of education, literacy, economics, power, morality, and characteristics are, will help in developing the appropriate plan for evangelizing them. Where lies the strength of the community, middle class, and aged? For example, there is a community where open-air crusades will not work but house-to-house preaching will work. Ordinary evangelism may not make them open their doors but prayer evangelism might or will.
What kind of environment do you have in the church in terms of the facilities, church auditorium, sanitary facilities, children’s church arena, etc.? In today’s world, these things matter in the choice of parents in determining where they will settle with their families for church. For us in Nigeria, in the 1970s and 1990s, many did not bother so much. But times and seasons are changing.
SWOT ANALYSIS TOOL AND PLANNING
In the science of human behavior and organizational development and growth, a tool called SWOT Analysis will assist.
A SWOT Analysis is a structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project or in a business venture.
The SWOT Analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and threats) is a commonly used tool to facilitate a strategic review of a particular organization, church, or ministry. It focuses on the key factors that are most pertinent to ministry achievement or otherwise of evaluating the progress of its purpose and vision. It does this by identifying the internal weaknesses of the church/ministry and the opportunities and threats that (primarily) are impacting it from the outside.In itself, it doesn’t identify what should be done. Rather, it provides a framework for identifying where strategic opportunities may exist, and how to avoid weaknesses inherent within the church, or threats from outside that may limit future growth.
When developing strengths and Weaknesses, it is important to appraise the church/ ministry honestly, rather than being too modest or too critical. Seek a balance between the number of strengths and weaknesses identified.
Strengths and Weaknesses can be identified by asking the following questions:
What do we do well? What do we do less well?
What areas of church life are vibrant and healthy? What areas are weaker?
What would someone who sees several churches like ours point out as being distinctive (either positive or negative) about our church?
What resources can we call upon? How does this compare to our needs?
Himself.
When developing strengths and Weaknesses, it is important to appraise the church/ ministry honestly, rather than being too modest or too critical. Seek a balance between the number of strengths and weaknesses identified.
Strengths and Weaknesses can be identified by asking the following questions:
What do we do well? What do we do less well?
What areas of church life are vibrant and healthy? What areas are weaker?
What would someone who sees several churches like ours point out as being distinctive (either positive or negative) about our church?
What resources can we call upon? How does this compare to our needs?
Note that a church’s strengths and its weaknesses (its flaws) are obviously internal considerations. In strengths, list your church’s internal strengths that make it meaningful and effective. In weaknesses, list any internal weaknesses of your church that be strengthened to ensure effectiveness.
When considering Opportunities and threats, realize they are mainly gathered from looking beyond the boundaries of the church/ministry. These questions will help identify Opportunities and Threats, What community-based needs could be met by our church’s strengths and resources? What is changing in the community or in society that will impact us in the future?
Note that Opportunities and Threats in a church environment are clearly external considerations. In Opportunities,” list the opportunities your church is to capitalize on. In threats,” list the external threats that your church must be aware of in terms of problems that has to solve.
TO BE CONTD.
PRAYER FOR THE NATION
- Thank you father for Nigeria @ 63.
- Pray that the hold of evil forces in Nigeria be broken in Jesus name.
- Pray that God will intervene in the affairs of the nation by raising credible leaders that will salvage the nation from economic meltdown.
- Pray that God bring his will to pass through this present administration in Jesus Name.
- Pray againt evil policies that will affect the church of God adversely.
- Pray for the Leadership of PMPN, that God will uphold them with uncommon wisdom to lead us aright.
- Pray for the forthcoming Leadership Retreat in Owerri, that God will grant us Journey mercies.
- Pray that the retreat will impact on the church and the people positively .
- Pray for God’s backup in all our programme of activities in this our New year.
- Thank God for His Protection, Provision and Promotion on every side.
