Creating goals and Strategies
From AD, 2004: interview with PG
Their work in church planting caused them to create goals to reach and strategies with which to reach them. In the Philippines, they had three levels of leadership training including home bible study, congregational leaders, and evangelists. Paul stressed very heavily that when you are doing mission work: “Don’t do anything that they cannot replicate = EVER!”
Because of this reasoning for reaching and training leaders, Paul put away all of his seminary books and used only the resource of the Bible in the nationals’ language for the whole time that he was in the Philippines. He did not use any resource that the nationals did not have access to.
The goal of planting churches is to train the nationals to do missions and then get out and let them do it. Paul feels that this is part of keeping on task as well as realizing what you cannot do and make no apologies for this fact. Satan loves to attack individuals in this area of their ministry. Viewing time spent in a realistic way is also very important in evaluating effectiveness. In many cultures, spending time with people is a far more effective use of time than our American task orientated minds want us to think.
Excerpts from interview with Tim and Kathy R: What was your approach to witnessing? English Bible study was a tool in getting the message of Christ out. On Saturday mornings the students who wanted to work on their English where asked to be advance students creating a desire for students who where looking to be good in English speaking to attended. So through the students desire to learn an opportunity to share the gospel became possible. A key link between the students and a church was through this bible study. Relationships where built with members from the church coming to the Bible study which was important being that once the American teachers would leave there would be something still present, members from the church, to keep students coming back. Also there was a Coffee house held twice a month in which students would come and hanging out eat food, and ended with devotion. This coffee house was limited to English again encouraging students to desire to be present looking to work on English speaking. During Christmas and Easter time the opportunity to teach about American culture – though it was the Christian message of Jesus was done in class. Students learned about the message of Christ birth in which the class re-enacted the story. Also the message of Easter was taught allowing the message of Christ to come full circle. Also an English Worship service was provide which was a small outreach.
interview with MP and SP
At first the goals and strategies of the Peskes’ work was surrounded around getting individuals to come to church. Mark was quick to point out that this is not the first step, but the ending step. The first goal is to get the Gospel deeply seeded into their hearts and talk about Jesus in an honest relationship. It is important to set goals, but it is more important to stay flexible.
Jim F Strategies powerpoint sheet
Activities are not strategies. If you don’t have a “ known “ strategy, you will by default have an “unknown” strategy—which is more likely to leave you wasting resources and lacking fulfillment.
Scope: Be clear about the relationship between:
The great commission (make disciples)
The great commandment (love your neighbor)
A always include B, but it is easy for B to neglect A
Ask Questions concerning the three areas of Discipling (What is needed at this point?)
a. pre-Evangelism
b. evangelism
c. post-Evangelism
Strategy can be a spiritual work within the community
a. Having a strategy does not mean that you are quenching the Holy Spirit.
b. Plan, but be ready to be flexible
Strategy today increasingly includes a “how to get out” strategy [exit strategy] From the beginning.
a. Go in day #1 knowing how to get out!
b. Let locals lead from day #1
c. Todd Roeske’s work is a perfect example
d. Equip to work yourself out of a job
Develop 4-self Strategy
- self-supporting
- self-governing
- self-propagating
- self-theologizing
Specifics of strategy making: (from LCMS World Mission strategy materials):
- key result area is established
- a measurement for each area is created
- objectives for measurement will be established
- Each objective requires a strategy. The strategy will have phases. Easch phase is accomplished by an action step.
From MM, 2003
With G&S you can accomplish more with more efficiency; Will save time; Helps to structure things better; Less likely to forget anything. It’s not easy, but it’s important to get into the habit of doing this
When planning out your strategy for teaching the word remember that many people in countries such as China have never even heard of Jesus. This is important because you will have to lay a lot of groundwork before you can properly teach.
In another country amongst the natives you are an outsider and so many people will not give your words the same credit as they would if they came from a native person. This semi-closed mindedness is a huge hurdle that you will need to consider and plan for.
When your planning your goals and strategies remember that you as a person, how you come across to people will say more than your words. A primary goal would have to be trying to weed out anything in your personality or any tendencies that you have as an American that would hinder your work, or make you seem like a hypocrite. People are far more likely to remember who you are than what you say, so make sure you practice what you preach
If you are also performing a job wherever it is you are located, such as being a teacher keep in mind that people will allow many things that they would not normally allow. The example of teaching, the parents may allow you to teach about Jesus because you are also teaching them everything else that they need to know. In many cases there will need to be a trade off.
A strategy you have to keep in mind is that although you may not feel any discomfort where you are for being a Christian, the people that you convert may suffer great problems. If people are aware of the problems they are likely to face than they are more likely to ignore you. This is something that you also have to plan for.
-How will your teachings affect the converted in everyday life
-How will the way the previously converted affect your ability to teach others?
A freedom in planning is the freedom to make changes. An effective plan is flexible, not carved in stone.
Planning increases freedom when it creates choices
The rationale for creating the plan/vision is to avoid wasting precious time, money, effort, and talent
With a plan, you are free to handle unexpected change
Having a written plan makes adjustments easier
Planning a day or a week at a time is a powerful practice. Seeing how your days, and weeks fit into a larger picture can yield even more benefits
Use a long-term planner to manage major projects at work/on the mission
State your goals effectively-goals are specific changes you’d like to bring about in yourself or your environment.
In planning it is possible to get the intended results yet still miss the purpose
When you plan, consider working from the general to the specific. Short-range goals are often easier to plan when they flow naturally from long-range objectives
Write out your plan(s)-writing uncovers holes in a plan
Completely detailed plans are powerful. At the same time taking action on an incomplete plan is one way to fill in the gaps.
To create new goals, open up your thinking about what of your life can be changed and what can’t
Think of long term planning as “visioning” this process can include goals that we want to achieve 10, 20, or even 50 years from now.
We can easily lose sight of our goals, so remember the plan
A large part of your strategy to endear yourself to the native inhabitations is to show respect. This includes such things as never saying anything bad about their religion, or way of life. If you badmouth them they will likely become angry and defensive
Plan on receiving extra responsibilities with the more time you spend where you are, and with the more experience you get.
People will reject the gospel on an average of seven times before they are ready to accept it. So plan on not being able to reach everyone instantly
Recognize that unexpected things will happen and so try to plan for the unexpected.
Plan on having a native helper go with you the first few weeks you are in a native country. The helper will help you with important things such as buying food.
Try to make the things that your native helper is teaching you routine as soon as possible. If you are able to accomplish this life will become much easier.
You cannot plan on being strong and independent all the time. You have to plan on being weak and dependant. This will make the native people around you feel more at ease, and more willing to help you/connect to you.
Whenever you check into a hotel in a foreign place make sure that you grab one of the hotels business cards. This is the best strategy you can employee to make sure that you’ll be able to find your way back to the hotel.
An important strategy for preaching the gospel is not to instantly start preaching the gospel. The first thing you should do is learning about the people, their life, and their culture.
Remember that when you are creating your goals and strategies that what you believe will affect what you do.
Strategies for teaching the gospel- remember that you have to give background info for the people to properly understand what you are trying to teach them. Start with the beginning. Start with teaching the Old Testament. Explain God, the devil, Adam and Eve, and other O.T. stories. After you have given a proper amount of background with the O.T. then you can teach the life of Jesus. This is a version of the basic outline of how to teach, where to begin teaching that can be obtained.
When you are creating your goals and strategies try to keep in mind what kind of structure dependent if any are you. Use this to develop your strategies, and if necessary change this if possible.
Remember that culture shock is normal, and that for most people it will eventually pass, so don’t be taken by surprise when culture shock hits.
Before you enter your host country, make decisions about your health care. The area where you will be living may not be close to an adequate medical facility. Think about bringing some medical books, and other possibly needed medical/health care supplies.[1]
Bring along something with you that is very important to you. Whatever this item is; a pillow, a book, a picture, a coffee cup, whatever it is bring it with you, and make sure that that is one of the first items you place in your living space. This will help to decrease some of your homesickness, while also giving you a sense of familiarity. [2]
Don’t be afraid to ask for something that you need. The organization that will provide basic provisions for you, may have a different definition of what is basic than you do.[3]
If possible factor in your diet to coinside with your new countries. If that areas people are offended by you eating beef for example, try not to eat beef around them. You can also use food as a resource for getting to know people. I.E. people at markets, recipe swaps, diner invitations…[4]
No two countries have identical foods. You may find out that you just can’t get a hold of many of the ingredients that you are used to. Even though you may never be able to eat the kinds of dishes that you are used to, doesn’t mean that you will necessarily get used to that areas foods. So do some research before you go over there. If there are a few recipies that could be made similar to what you are used to then bring some recipes with you that would allow you to make similar dishes to what you like.[5]
A new culture often means a new idea of appropriate and inappropriate clothing. If the culture you are going to enter does not allow its women to ware pants or show legs, than it will only serve to hinder your work (and possibly threaten your safety) to not alter you form of dress. Do not just wait and hope that you will be told ahead of time about such things. Do some reseach ahead of time.[6]
Some cultures will expect you to hire help such as housekeepers. If you do not do this, because you are seen to have a lot of money the people around you may likely form a bad opinion of you. The important point to remember in that situation is to pay your staff the going rate, not what think is a fair rate. Paying someone too much money will also be likely to cause problems for you as well as for your employees.[7]
Entering a new culture is an extremely stressful situation. This high stress can significantly lower your level of performance. This lower level of performance will not only hinder anything that you are trying to accomplish but because of the hinderence you will likely feel feelings of guilt and loss of self-esteem.[8] If you are expecting these problems than you can plan on a stretagy for dealing with them. Maybe set aside some time in your schedule to deal with feelings such as these.
People in a a particular culture (including us) may have never been exposed to any other culture besides the one that they are in, then they will likely believe that the only correct way to do things is the way that they have always done them.[9] You have to expect that people will have thoughts about the way that you are doing things, and in many cases express these thoughts through comments and/or actions.
The tourist does not normally experience a great deal of culture stress. Sp even if you have been to where you will be going, don’t expect things to be as easy as they were before.[10] When you plan your goals, and the strategies to achieve them do not plan on the area your going to, to be as easy as it was before, or any other area you’ve been to.
If you have entered a country for a short amount of time, then it is likely that the solutionst/strategies that you have developed for dealing with culture shock will be inadequate to dealing with the shock involved with a much longer stay.[11]
Create whatever goals & strategies necessary to keep from being one of the many overseas Americans who has rejected the language after setting out to learn it.[12] There’s an old saying that goes “nothing worth doing is easy.” Don’t give up on learning the native tongue it could very well be the greatest tool you can have.
[1] Video by Karen B
[2] Video by Karen B
[3] Video by Karen B
[4] Video by Karen B
[5] Video by Karen B
[6] Video by Karen B
[7] Video by Karen B
[8] Culture shock by Myron Loss, chapter 3 p 47
[9] Culture shock by Myron Loss, chapter 3 p48
[10] Culture shock by Myron Loss, chapter 3 p49
[11] Culture shock by Myron Loss, chapter 3 p49
[12] Culture shock by Myron Loss, chapter 3 p50
I think that this could be an area of learning for me as I would like more experience on how to create an outreach plan and achievable goals to support this plan. I would assume that it takes a strong discipline and work ethic to stay on track as a missionary works toward the goals of the ministry. I also assume that it takes a great deal of flexibility and humbleness as one seeks to follow where God is leading the ministry. Abby
Goals and strategies
Paul Gossman interview by Abby
The Gossmans’ work in church planting caused them to create goals to reach and strategies with which to reach them. In the Philippines, they had three levels of leadership training including home bible study, congregational leaders, and evangelists. Paul stressed very heavily that when you are doing mission work: don’t do anything they can’t replicate.
Because of this reasoning for reaching and training leaders, Paul put away all of his seminary books and used only the resource of the Bible in the nationals’ language for the whole time that he was in the Philippines. He did not use any resource that the nationals did not have access to.
The goal of planting churches is to train the nationals to do missions and then get out and let them do it. Paul feels that this is part of keeping on task as well as realizing what you cannot do and make no apologies for this fact. Satan loves to attack individuals in this area of their ministry. Viewing time spent in a realistic way is also very important in evaluating effectiveness. In many cultures, spending time with people is a far more effective use of time than our American task orientated minds want us to think.
Mark and Sharon Peske interview
At first the goals and strategies of the Peskes’ work was surrounded around getting individuals to come to church. Mark was quick to point out that this is not the first step, but the ending step. The first goal is to get the Gospel deeply seeded into their hearts and talk about Jesus in an honest relationship. It is important to set goals, but it is more important to stay flexible.
Jim Found Strategies powerpoint sheet
Activities are not strategies. If you don’t have a “ known “ strategy, you will by default have an “unknown” strategy—which is more likely to leave you wasting resources and lacking fulfillment.
Scope: Be clear about the relationship between:
The great commission (make disciples)
The great commandment (love your neighbor)
A always include B, but it is easy for B to neglect A
In creating strategies:
- Break it down
- Ask questions
- pray
Ask Questions concerning the three areas of Evangelism (What is needed at this point?)
- pre-Evangelism
- evangelism
- post-Evangelism
Strategy can be a spiritual work within the community
- Having a strategy does not mean that you are quenching the Holy Spirit.
- Plan, but be ready to be flexible
Strategy today increasingly includes a “how to get out” strategy [exit strategy] From the beginning.
- Go in day #1 knowing how to get out!
- Locals lead from day #1
- Todd Roeske’s work is a perfect example
- Equip to work yourself out of a job
Development of 4-church Strategy
- self-supporting
- self-governing
- self-propagating
- self-theologizing
Specifics of strategy making:
- key result area is established
- a measurement for each area is created
- objectives for measurement will be established