More Articles
Our Strategy Planning Process is underway! A Leadership Team of 25 people from across our state is guiding the process. The first phase of our strategy planning process involves gathering information. The information we gather helps to define the current realities confronting local congregations and our convention. We need your help in this process. Our planning will not be effective unless we hear from local congregations and genuinely address the issues these churches are confronting.
Our first data gathering process involves conducting a series of Listening Sessions with leadership groups in local congregations across our state. The sessions can be conducted with 10 to 15 people from your church and only take about an hour to an hour and a half to complete. The sessions will be moderated by a member of our team. They will share a brief list of questions with your group and record the answers. Many of these sessions are already being set-up; however, we would be delighted to send a representative from our Leadership Team to your church to conduct a Listening Session. Please contact me (jimhill@baptistgcm.org or (888) 420-2426, ext. 705) if you would like to have a Listening Session in your church.
Our second strategy involves a brief online survey available for everyone who would like to share their thoughts with our leadership team. You can visit our website and click on the link on our home page to participate in the survey. We need your input as we explore the most effective ways to serve churches and church leaders. We would love to have your input in this process. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey.
Our final data gathering process involves a series of leadership interviews. Our strategy planning leadership team members will each be interviewing a leader from a "new paradigm" denominational or ministry organization. Our world has changed dramatically since many of us first became involved in Baptist life, and denominational life continues to change. It is important for us to learn from those who have successfully adjusted their ministries to these rapid changes. We believe these interviews will help us as we seek to discover the most effective ways to serve churches.
Our Leadership Team will meet in late October to hear reports and process the data and input we have received. I believe this process is vitally important to the future of our cooperative ministry. We are grateful for your help with this process. I hope you will pray for our strategy planning leadership team and this process as we seek God's will for the future of our ministry.
