Vision and Strategic Planning

I attended a leadership seminar last week that was organized by my pastor, Randy Greenwald. The speaker was Bill Mills, the founder of Leadership Resources International, a mission’s organization that has been doing informal training to pastors all over the world. They focus on a small group of pastors who receive training and free training material for a number of years. The goal is to have these trained pastors equipped so they can train the local pastors and clergy in their respective country. I love the idea of “indigenous leadership” and I am convinced it`s the way to do missions in countries like Kenya. I say this because, the local leadership is better placed to reach out to the rest of the people better than a foreigner, who would have to learn the language and culture of the people. If local leaders are trained, they can take up the role of training the rest of the clergy.

Bill was very encouraging to me as he talked about the place of vision and strategic planning in ministry. I was particularly encouraged with his on view that God is already doing something in the world- in Kenya. He wants us to become part of the work He is doing; to align ourselves with the vision he has for his people. Bill was not arguing that we should not plan and have a vision before doing something, but he was reminding us to be aware that we do not lose focus of our task and calling. We are called to be faithful to God`s calling, as we do that which we have been called to do, we need to remember it is to the glory of our Lord and Savior. It is easy sometimes to lose this and plan projects for self edification and glorification; our ambitions and thirst for success might be the driving force and not listening to the Holy Spirit as he guides us to do God`s will.

As I think about the task ahead for the CRC I am reminded that God is at work. Last week`s seminar was a reminder for me to keep my eyes fixed on Jesus and the Holy Spirit to guide me through the task ahead. Prayer changes things and I can trust God to provide for the CRC because this is His work, and I am only his servant.

Prayer.

This coming week I fly to Houston to meet with Pastor Justin Hyde of Christ Church and Dr. Jamie Johns of HaMoreh Ministries who are already involved with what God is doing in Kenya. Pray that God will bring our hearts and minds together as we discuss the way forward for training and providing resources to pastors in Kenya.