Have you ever seen a bunch of youth leaders come together with all kinds of excitement to save the world only to see the momentum peter out within the year? Those that fail to plan to fail. That is why is so important to take the step of Design for your action plan.
Once you have prayed for God's direction, built trust with your partners, and discovered the needs of those you wish to serve and reach with the gospel, you can begin to design a basic strategy.
Years ago, renowned leadership guru, Dr. Peter F. Drucker, developed five important questions that help us think through what we are doing, why we are doing it, and what we must do. The questions that we must ask are:
What is our mission?
This is a fundamental question, because it will force you to consider your purpose and reason for working together. Seeing Christ change lives should be your starting point and ending point.
Who is our customer?
The "primary customer" is the person whose life is changed through your work. Another way of stating this question is "Who do we serve?" Most of the time that group will be teenagers or youth leaders. There are other secondary groups that are served by the networks. Parents, youth leaders, senior pastors, or civic leaders are just a few examples.
What does your customer value?
You may have already answered this question during your discovery step. But, take time to consider what it is that those whom you are ministering to really value. In order to keep other important partners involved, it is helpful to consider what they value as well.
What are the results?
Many of us think only in terms of the need rather than results. As Christian leaders, we must ask how we are going to define and measure the results. This is not an easy step - especially when we are seeking changed lives or changed circumstances. Even so, it is important for us to monitor progress and measure milestones.
What is our plan?
The plan encompasses mission, vision, goals, action steps, a budget, and evaluation. It is not unspiritual to have a plan. Consider the examples of Nehemiah, Moses, David, and even Jesus from the Bible. There are many great resources on developing a plan. Find what planning process seems right for you and your team and use it.
Putting your plan into action
The questions in the "Interactive," below, are straightforward and deceptively simple. I believe that taking time to answer these questions will help you design a plan of action for your team or youth ministry network.
Take the insights from these questions that will serve you and your network. Here is a handout to help you through this process. And please, don't hesitate to connect with a NNYM coach if you think it could be helpful.
Be sure to read "Creating Your Action Plan-Do" (part 3) next.
Design Your Action Plan
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What is the mission of your ministry network?
- Who do you serve and how do you serve them?
- What do those you serve value?
- What are the results that you would like to see in your ministry network?
- What is the plan for implementation?