Step 7: Make a plan and do it!

Begin a planned journey of growth

I planted the seed, Apollos watered it but God has been making it grow.  St Paul in 1 Corinthians 3 v 6

This step takes the learning from the previous steps, and prayerfully turns it into a realistic plan. The key stages are:

1. Identify two or three priority areas
2. Choose actions to take to grow in these areas
3. Make a plan that will fit into the church year
4. Agree regular updates to monitor progress and keep on track
5. Get Help – who can help us along this journey?

Identify 2 or 3 priority areas

No church can take all seven steps at once. Only by focusing on two or three at most, are you likely to see growth. 

What requires the most attention? When choosing priorities ALWAYS pick one which is relevant to people who do not yet come to church.

Choose actions to take to grow in these areas

This is best done by consultation and discussion. 

Thought Shower: (Good for generating ideas)

1. A goal is stated simply e.g. To connect with more children. 
2. Members of the group generate as many ideas as possible (be creative!). Do not rule out any ideas at this stage!
3. Gather all the ideas so that everyone can see/hear them (again no judging).
4. Round 2 – repeat the steps above as exposure to shared material often generates additional thoughts!
5. List the ideas in columns (for/against) and score.
6. List the pros and cons for each idea 
7. Finally rank the ideas to identify the best.

[How to rank ideas as a team: Give everyone 5 ‘ticks’ (or sticky dots). Ask everyone to place their ‘ticks/dots’ against the ideas they favour. They can put all five on one or spread them about as they wish. Finally add up all the ticks.]

Make a plan that will fit into the church year

• Work with a 2 year diary which includes the major church events e.g. Easter, Harvest, holiday clubs etc.
• Plan where the ideas and actions identified could fit into the existing calendar – are there ways they can work together with existing events e.g. planning an enquirers course to run after Christmas so that advertising and invitation can take place when there are lots of visitors?
• Are there any existing activities that could be ‘paused’ to release key people and energy?
• Be realistic – do not try to squeeze everything into the first year. Do you have sufficient people available to run the planned events?

Agree regular updates to monitor progress and keep on track

‘No plan survives contact with the enemy.’ General Carl von Clausewitz

‘Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.’ Isaiah 40 v 30 -31

However thorough your planning, ‘stuff’ frequently occurs to throw it off course, and we can easily run out of steam. 

4 Ways to stay on track: 

1. Review, review, review! Commit to regular meetings to reveal progress, celebrate successes, identify challenge and make appropriate course corrections.

2. Keep praying for growth (Step one) – do not stop after the planning stage; this underpins everything else! Give yourself a realistic score out of 10 for each item  planned. If a score is lower than 8, ask how it could be improved to 9 or 10?

3. Find a coach Having an external coach / facilitator attend your meetings really helps to keep on track and keep on going – especially when things get more difficult. Note Peterborough Diocese Mission Team 

4. Fan the flames of Desire  Remember DNA back in Step one?  Remind each other of that deep longing inside.

Get Help – who can help us along this journey?

The Mission Team is here to help should you need any support in working through the 7 steps, with your planning or reviewing – please just ask.

Rev Canon Charlie Nobbs Charlie.nobbs@peterborough-diocese.org.uk

Rev Roger Woods Roger.woods@peterborough-diocese.org.uk