A strategic plan is an act of discernment; implementation is an act of stewardship. Scripture not only commends diligent planning (Proverbs 21:5) but also the diligent work required to carry it out (1 Corinthians 14:40). A plan becomes effective when responsibilities are assigned, progress is reviewed, leaders are supported, and the organization continues to adjust faithfully along the way. In that vein, we offer up the following good practices that will better ensure the Strategic Plan sticking. You see…
… upon entering into the work of supporting Christian charities, churches and schools, we heard it a gazillion times: "We have a Strat Plan and the process went well, but outside of a few initiatives it has not made the deep impact we had hoped." Sometimes similar words were spoken as if the process failed, or at least wasn't worth what they paid for.
Consequently, Shepherd Consulting vowed to do Strategic Planning differently. Instead of simply providing a 1-3, or 5 year Strat Plan we were going to provide the preparation and tools needed to ensure the work became deeply embedded in the ethos of the organization we were working with. So here are my top three things needed to enable the Strat Plan to gets lasting impact.
1. Create an ongoing Board Agenda to be centred around the Key Pillars and objectives of the Strategic Plan. We custom build these for the organizations we work with so that they work well for our client. The principle is to ensure that the ongoing template for the agenda facilitate's the main discussions and decisions to fulfill the object of 'keeping the main thing, the main thing': the strategy. In other words, a good board agenda allows the board discussions to remain focused on what you have identified God wishes to accomplish through the church/charity/school, not on the operations for managerial sake.
2. Ask your senior leader to report against the Strategic Plan’s Key Objectives. Your most senior leader is responsible for co-coordinating the day-to-day work of the church, school, or charity. Their reports to the board, therefore, should do more than describe what has been happening. They should help the board see whether the organization is actually making progress toward the goals it has agreed are most important. A simple question can reshape their entire report: “How is the work we are doing advancing the Key Objectives of our Strategic Plan?” Shepherd custom-builds reporting frameworks like this for our clients, but even this one shift can make a significant difference. Instead of receiving reports filled primarily with operational activity and updates, the board begins receiving meaningful evidence of progress toward its strategic goals. The kind of progress it can celebrate, learn from, and, when necessary, use to make informed adjustments.
3. Develop an every other year (or every third year) Senior Leader Evaluation rhythm that will help both board and leader adjust their workload and goals to fit the changing nature of the organization. As the Strategic Plan succeeds or fails, the organization changes, the environment adapts, the leaders morph or mature. With all that change, it is appropriate to ensure your senior leader is moving in alignment with the board in a way that will continue to fulfill the changing church or charity. And to do so in a way that empowers all forms of leadership is key! No one needs a simple scorecard, but rather a way to adjust, grow and adapt in a way that 'fits' everyone. For us at Shepherd, Moving Together is such a proven process.' [You can read about Parkhill's effort in this way, below].
Feel free to reach out to us at any time for more information, here.
SPOTLIGHT: Grace Bible Chapel
Grace Bible Chapel (GBC) in Parkhill, Ontario describes its calling simply: “Share Love | Experience God | Grow Together.”
Serving Parkhill and several surrounding communities, GBC is a non-denominational evangelical church with a strong emphasis on following Jesus together, authentic relationships, families, and taking the life of the church beyond its building and into its neighbourhoods. That commitment to growing together recently extended to GBC's own leadership.
GBC invited Shepherd Consulting to facilitate a Moving Together Senior Pastor Evaluation, not simply as an exercise in evaluating performance, but as an intentional opportunity to continuing strengthening the relationship between pastoral leadership and the board.
Moving Together creates space for thoughtful feedback, affirmation, honest conversation, and greater clarity about leadership priorities. It helps a church identify what is working well, where a Pastor can continue to grow, and how the board can better support the leader God has entrusted to their congregation.
That approach fits GBC particularly well. Their own leadership model recognizes the Pastor/Pastoral Team, Elders, and Leadership Board as distinct but also interconnected partners in providing spiritual direction, oversight, and organizational leadership. Healthy churches need healthy leaders – and healthy leaders are strengthened when Pastor and board keep learning how to move together.
Rev. Dr. Darren Roorda (Founder and Principal Consultant) has served in Nonprofit Leadership for over 23 years. He is proud to work with a wonderful group of associates. His leadership and ministry roles have helped hone his education in Leadership, Governance, and Theology. D. Min., Pro Dir, Partner of The Alliance for Board Effectiveness. Professional Member of the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities
