Why Strategic Planning?

"I have a dream!" This statement was made famous by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and symbolized a major development in American history: racial equality. Every big development begins with a dream, a mental picture of how things could be if we work toward them.

This is certainly true of church ministries. If we really want to make an impact on people, we need start with a dream. But a dream by itself is not enough; it needs people to work toward it in the most effective ways possible. Finally, there must be a way for people to see how much the dream is materializing.

Over the next several months, a "Dream Team" made of parents and coworkers will be meeting to develop a strategic plan for the children's ministries of CCCI. We will spend several hours answering the following three questions:

1. What are the desired outcomes we have for the children of our church and community?
2. What are the most effective ways for the family and the church to pursue those outcomes?
3. How can we best evaluate the impact we're having in the lives of the children?

Larry Fowler is the executive director of global training for AWANA. He has written a very helpful book called Raising a Modern-Day Joseph which gives a great foundation for any parent or church hoping to do strategic planning for their children's ministry. All parents at CCCI are asked to read this book so that you can catch the vision for where we're headed!