COGIC
Church Administration
Module 2
Core Directives in Administration
Core Directives: Nuts and Bolts
of Ministry
The Administrator’s Tool Box
In church administration, you have a defined set of
tools to work with to move a ministry toward God’s
ideal. Your role in the process as an administrator is
actually a “nuts and bolts” role in facilitating God’s
vision for the ministry in a defined, strategic and
efficient manner – a stewardship or management
role
Core Directives: A Quick Summary
Let’s create some working definitions….
 Core Distinctives: I will use the words “core distinctives” to
describe a set of unique categories that guide personal life and
ministry life. These core distinctives will include Values, Vision,
Mission, Strategy, Objectives, and Goals.
 Values are the underlying assumptions and beliefs that determine
WHY we are doing what we are doing. It is important that we
discover the values that motivate our own life and ministry, so that
we can work with them and stay true to them – they are like a
compass that keeps us on the right track
 Vision is an ideal picture of what the future could or should be like,
and answers the question WHAT will it be like. It may take many
words to adequately describe my vision. We will spend the rest of
this module considering vision as a powerful tool in a leaders hand.
Core Directives: A Quick Summary
 Mission is a short statement of WHERE we are going. It
is a condensed statement that expresses how we will
actualize the values we hold to move us toward the
vision we have.
 Strategy answers the question “HOW?” It is a plan that
advances our life or ministry toward the ideal picture God
has (His Vision). It is incremental and measurable in
nature, and accomplishes purpose one step at a time, in
“bite size” pieces.
 Objectives are broad statement of a larger strategy that
further refine the picture of “HOW” we will move toward
our vision.
 Goals are time-specific and measurable increments to
accomplish an objective
Consider an ordinary road trip with
the family
Always remember….
 VALUES determine WHY I will take the trip. I value
family, so I want to spend time investing in them. I value
rest, realizing it is God’s command to be replenished. I
value fellowship, looking forward to time with the ones I
love.
 VISION determines WHAT I will do with our vacation. It
is my ideal picture of what the vacation should or could
look like. I see in advance 10 days, the hotel I would like
to stay at, where we will eat, what activities we will do. I
see them before they happen clearly, so that I can use
the vision to make plans, reservations, and driving
directions.
Cont…
Consider an ordinary road trip with
the family
 MISSION becomes WHERE we are going. Our mission is to take
the family to Florida and have fun. The vision for how to do that is
elaborate, and requires many words to describe. The mission is
very simple, requiring few words. In accomplishing the vision and
mission, we bring to life the values that we hold dear as we enjoy
family, rest, and fellowship.
 STRATEGY is my detailed plan for HOW to make my vision and
mission come to pass. It consists of broad OBJECTIVES (Drive the
car to Florida, Spend time in the hotel, Do selected activities). For
these objectives, there are specific GOALS and even sub-goals to
accomplish each objective. The objective “Driving the car to Florida”
has many supporting goals that are time specific and measurable
(i.e. Change the oil in the car on Tuesday at 3PM before the trip,
Map the most efficient route by Wednesday at 5PM when we leave,
Drive to Macon, Georgia and arrive by 9PM Thursday at the Marriot
Hotel, etc.)
Administrator’s Role
In church administration, my primary task is to clearly
understand God’s vision and values to facilitate their
implementation in the real world in a strategic
manner:
 I must see the vision (big picture – the end from the beginning




– how it looks when we are done)
I must understand the core values (the shaping factors – why
we are going there)
I must comprehend the mission (where we are going)
I must clearly define the route (strategic plan) that we will take
and plot the precise pathway (objectives) in a step-by-step and
time-specific manner ( objectives and goals)
I must make provision for the human and financial resource
needs to accomplish the tasks, goals, and objectives in an
orderly and precise manner.
Core Directives: A Look at the
Role of Values in
Administration
Understanding Values
 Malphurs defines “Core Values” as the constant,
passionate, biblical core beliefs that drive ministry.
Values are the bottom line beliefs, written or
unwritten, that shape the way reality is around us.
They answer the question “WHY?” Values have
certain defined characteristics that make them easy to
identify:
 Values are CONSTANT: They are deeply held
beliefs and assumptions that should be based on
the Scriptures and therefore are not usually
compromised or changed over time
 Values are PASSIONATE: They are beliefs that
we are passionate about – we live and die for
these kind of beliefs. They invoke deeply held
feelings.
Understanding Values
 VALUES actually determine the other core
distinctives of a ministry. Each ministry has its own
written or unwritten set of assumption and beliefs that
shape reality. These values shape the collective soul
(culture) of a group of people as they come together.
 VALUES motivate people to be involved, yield a
sense of what is important, provide pathways for
growth and change, as well as dictate behavior and
action.
 VALUES shape the character of a person or ministry,
and thereby determine how the person or ministry
functions.
 VALUES actually determine the vision, mission, and
strategic plan for a ministry
Distilling Values
 Identity – Leadership: God assembles people for a reason –
many times for who He has made them to be – their themes,
passions, and vision is often a clue to what He wants the
church to be. This may also determine if I a still a fit for the
church, or leadership in the church – do we have congruent
values?
 Identity – People: The people within a ministry or church are
often a great clue to the values that are present. Values attract
people who resonate with similar values. Who are the people
that come to church? What is the “theme” or “thread” that runs
through the church? Worship, outreach, prayer, benevolence
as themes translate to fellowship, love for the lost, intimacy,
and mercy in the values, which will attract people with similar
values.
Distilling Values
 Identity – Community: God often sovereignly
places a church or ministry in a particular
geographical location to serve and minister to them.
The church, because it may be composed of a large
number of people from a particular community,
begins to take on the values of the community,
which can be a indicator of which values could be,
should be, or actually are present.
 Activities: Distillation of the key activities, as
determined by the amount of time, money, and
human resources, that a ministry or church engages
in, will often correctly identify the values at work.
Core Directives: A Look at
Visioneering at Work in
Administration
Defining Vision
 Vision – The ability to clearly see the future
 Eph 1:9, 10: Our lives and our ministries are not about us! They
are about HIM – the summing up of all things in HIM
 Isa 46:9, 10: We are created beings – He is Lord. He is the one
with the plan, we are a part of that plan. He is the Master
Architect – He sees the future as He has planned it, and this
dictates vision.
 Psa 139: His level of planning and detail is unimaginable – He
sees how He wants things to be in tremendous detail!
 As a PERSON, my job is to walk with God and allow him to
reveal details about His personal plan for my life – this
establishes PERSONAL VISION, and helps me walk into God’s
plan for my life as I see His ideal picture for my future
Cont…
Understanding Vision
Remember: Values define vision, and vision defines
strategic plan – the actions we take to realize the
fulfillment of vision:
 God’s Vision: Since we are discerning HIS vision for
the future, we are aligning ourselves with the purpose
of God, and this invokes His Lordship, direction,
provision, and power – it is not self-serving, but Godserving. It allows us to see the future through God’s
eyes, as it could or should be.
 Direction: When vision is clearly seen, it provides
the clue to what we should do AND what we should
NOT do. Vision empowers us with the capacity to
know what direction to proceed in, which is a critical
trait that leaders must have. It gives us short-term
direction as we incrementally move toward the
vision’s fulfillment.
What Clear Vision Produces
Remember the effects that clear vision has:
 Unity: People are inspired by vision, and when they can see a clear
picture of the future, it has the effect of causing a group of people to
fall into unity around the vision – it becomes our common ground
and pathway toward the future.
 Passion: When vision is articulated well, and people can see the
picture of the way the future could or should be, it often provokes a
passionate response toward getting there. People want to see the
vision become real. They embrace it as their own. They sacrifice to
make it happen, and will live and die for it. It energizes them!
 Risk Taking: Accomplishing vision requires change – that is why
we spent two modules on “Leading Change.” Each incremental
change required to move closer toward the ideal vision is stressful
and has a cost attached to it. A clear understanding of vision
inspires people to be more willing to take risks.
Understanding Vision
 As a LEADER, my job is to walk with God and allow
Him to reveal details about His plan for my church or
ministry – this establishes MINISTRY VISION.
 Vision becomes God’s big picture of an ultimate
destination. It is His picture of the way He wants my
life or ministry to be in the future.
 Administration relates to vision in a very practical
manner – whereas a leader sees the vision,
articulates it clearly and keeps the ministry focused
on it, an administrators primary role is to implement
the vision and tie human and financial resources to
the realization of the end pictured in the vision
Core Directives: A Look at
Strategic Plan at Work in
Administration
Where Does Strategic Planning
Fit?

Strategic Planning is an expression of the core
directives of the church or ministry, that allows
the ministry to realize its vision over time, and
actualize its core values:

Values are at the heart of everything. They answer
the question “why?” They are the deeply seated
beliefs or assumptions that determine the shape of
reality as they unconsciously or consciously direct
our decision-making. Godly values have their
source in the truth, God’s Word, and/or the very
heart and nature of God. Values must be distilled
with God in mind.
Where Does Strategic Planning
Fit?

Strategic Planning is at the core of who God is and
the fulfillment of His plan:




God’s creating is the best example of strategic planning
that exists! Its detail, interdependency, precision, and
beauty are in part due to His nature as planner and
organizer!
Psa 139 – God has a very detailed plan for His creation
and all of the people that have, or ever will, exist. His
thoughts for each one outnumber the sands of the sea!
Isa 46:9, 10 – God functions like a master architect,
knowing the end from the very beginning, and planning for,
in detail, all aspects of our lives, when as yet we were not
born!
Prov 21:5 – God blesses the plans of the diligent, when
they are made in a wise and humble manner
Where Does Strategic Planning
Fit?
 Jam 4:14-17 – When our plans are not informed by
God, and we do not have the humility to see that we
are not ultimately in control of tomorrow, we are in
serious error.
 Titus 1:7 – Ultimately we are stewards: God owns it
all, He has just left us in charge of certain people and
things, to produce a profit for Him, in the wisest way
possible.
 Luke 12:42-49 – Ultimately, Strategic Planning is an
expression of stewardship – the utilization of the
things that belong to the Lord, that have been
released to us, to produce a profit for Him.
 Matt 25:14-30 – Our reward from the master will be
determined on the profit we have made for Him by
using the resources He has entrusted us with to
produce a profit. Wisdom, accountability, and
shrewdness are essential in this process.
Where Does Strategic Planning
Fit?

In many Renewal circles, planning is associated with
“quenching the Holy Spirit,” because of the value of
spontaneity, which is, indeed part of the nature of God. This
aversion to planning is, however, a misapplication of this
value – planning is an essential for any endeavor, and
spontaneity should be realized in our “flexibility” in the
execution of the plan:



Chaos: God is a specialist at bringing order out of disorder, because
order is a characteristic of His nature. When He comes in contact with
chaos, it takes on His order (Gen 1:1-2), as His spirit “broods” over the
face of the deep.
Order: is valued, because it represents who God is, and therefore is
what He does. This can be seen in statements made about the church
and order (I Cor 14:40, KJV).
Strategic planning is a concerted attempt to bring definition and order
to the sequence of steps that must be taken to bring a vision to pass.
It focuses time, resources, and human gifting on task to bring the
vision into reality
Why is strategic planning so
important?

Strategic planning allows the church or ministry to
have a high degree of focus as it seeks to move
toward making the picture of the future a reality:
 Reactionary: A church or ministry without a well
developed strategic plan tends to drift and stall in its
movement. Its ministry and actions are often
random, without reason, or reactionary, rather than
pro-active.
 Focus: A church or ministry without strong
strategic planning often is diffuse in nature with a
scattered nature to its ministry and efforts. Time,
resources, and human gifting are often spread
thinly, in many directions, that ultimately do not help
to make the vision a reality.
Why is strategic planning so
important?
 Confused: A church or ministry that does not have a clearly
written strategic plan will often have little alignment of vision or
values. If I can’t see where I am going (vision), and don’t know
why I am going there (values), how should I know what I am
supposed to do (Strategic Plan)?
 Uncertain: If I do not have a context for decision-making
(values, vision, mission), then people who follow me become
confused, because they don’t “understand the rules of the
game.” I am unable to inspire confidence in my decisions,
because they sense that I don’t know where I am going, even if I
am going there fast!. Core directives, including Strategic
Planning, are essential to leadership!
Why is strategic planning so
important?
 Team Ministry: It is rare that God entrusts strategic
planning to one individual. Strategic planning is
usually done by a team of individuals, in key
leadership positions, that have a variety of gift-mixes,
who cooperate to produce a strategic plan.
 Continuous: The key to high quality strategic
planning is that it is a PROCESS that is ongoing, and
never complete, until the vision is a reality.
 Flexibility: The ability to evaluate and adjust the
plan is essential to any process (feedback loop) so
that the plan is dynamic and able to change as
events, circumstances, and God’s leading dictate.
Why is strategic planning so
important?
 The building of a strategic plan can be done in
multiple ways, but it is important that each
method for building a strategic plan have several
elements to it:
 Goals: The strategic plan must take the mission of
the church or ministry and determine specific goals or
objectives that when fulfilled, will bring the mission
and its vision to pass.
 Tasks: Each broad goal or objective must be divided
into a set of time specific and measurable actions or
events that when accomplished, produce the outcome
that its goal describes.
 Leadership: The key to the success of any strategic
plan is to determine who is best suited by gifting and
experience to lead the effort of fulfilling a specific task
within the plan.
Why is strategic planning so
important?
 Tracking: You cannot expect unless you inspect. In
order to be successful, each strategic plan must have
the human resources and systems built in that track
its progress against plan, and keep it on track.
 Dynamic: Each strategic plan must include regular
review of the progress toward plan, evaluation of the
effectiveness at reaching the goal, and
troubleshooting to correct problems. This process
should inform the revision of the plan, as dictated by
the feedback from these points of inspection, to
produce a dynamic plan that changes regularly,
adjusting for greater efficiency and according to need.
Some Final Thoughts
Administrators function in a vital role:
 Next week in Module 3 we will talk about actual models for




strategic planning
Can you see now why you must “be” an administrator to “do”
administration?
Is your life a values-driven life that is spent deliberately
actualizing your values in everyday decisions and actions?
Is your life vision-driven: in touch with God’s end picture for
finishing well and ever moving toward His “big picture” for
your life?
Do you live your life in a strategic manner, using your time,
resources, and energy to implement a strategic and deliberate
plan to bring about God’s vision – do you have long term
objectives, and short term goals with clearly defined tasks to
take you closer to His vision for your life?