Gil
Rendle and Alice Mann have written a book to guide congregations through a planning
process. It is different, however, in that is suggests there are multiple ways
of planning, not just one. In fact, the two authors are quite definite that
they differ as to their favourite process, but are the first to admit it is
because they are different people. Since every congregation is different, the
same rules apply.
They recognize that "some congregational leaders want to reach out to potential members of the congregation, while others would prefer to direct resources to support current members." Negotiating all of the preferences and coming up with a plan can be a challenge. It is more of a challenge if the leader assumes there is one single plan.
The task of the leader, say Rendle and Mann, "is to help the people have a purposeful and meaningful conversation about who they are and what they believe is important to do." Hence the name of the book, Holy Conversations. Those conversations may result in a written plan, or they can set the stage for action with a clear purpose. Whatever, there is no perfect plan. The goal is ongoing dialogue.
The Three Questions
There are only three questions that need to be asked in a planning process:
There are many tools that a leader can use to facilitate the conversations that will answer these questions. There are 80 pages of suggestions labelled A to Y at the back of the book.
Leadership is a dance. "It was Moses who went off alone to encounter God face to face. He would return with new energy, a sense of direction, and a visible radiance from the encounter. Aaron, on the other hand, was the voice of management. He structured the trip from day to day, organizing tasks, assigning responsibilities, and making decisions." A good planning process has both visionary and management leadership in place, working in cooperation and harmony.
Vision and Mission
Rendle and Mann have helpful definitions of what they mean by Vision Statement and Mission Statement. "A mission statement is a statement of identity and purpose." It names who we are and why we exist as an organization. A vision statement, on the other hand, "is a word picture of what our congregation would look like if we were, in fact, able to fulfill our mission statement."
They make the point that a congregation's energy and drive come from being clear about their mission.
Part of that clarity comes from what they call "moving to the balcony." That means being able to step back from day-to-day operations far enough that you can see the larger picture.
Balcony space "is where leaders read books together, where they talk about what they think is happening in their congregation … where there is room for prayers and discernment for the congregation." They include a very helpful description of who to invite on the balcony with you, and who not to invite.
When an issue is up for discussion, 2% of the congregation will say no to anything, and 2% have their mind made up. Don't spend time with them. In the centre of the bell curve are 72% of the congregation who just want to go along and not get too involved. Don't worry about getting them on the balcony.
Just inside the curve at one end are the 12% who are somewhat negative and at the other end the 12% who are somewhat positive - neither having made up their mind. It is this 24% that you want to take to the balcony with you and work with.
If you want a quick fix, this is not your book. If you want a guide to realistic planning that leads to action, try it.
Gil Rendle and Alice Mann, Holy Conversations: Strategic Planning as a Spiritual Practice for Congregations. The Alban Institute, 2003. ISBN 1-56699-286-9. $32.50 CDN.
Review by Clair Woodbury
Congregational News February 2007 Vol. 13 No. 3