Church Strategic Planning Handbook

Church Strategic Planning is probably most useful for long-range physical needs of the church. Strategic planning for the church involves navigating a narrow path between the business-based discipline of strategic planning and the absolute primacy of God’s will for our lives as a church and as individuals.

Every church organisation wants to survive and prosper. To do so, it must respond and adjust to the social, economic and political environment and the changes therein. Changes in the outside environment occur constantly, even in stable societies, for example as a result of technological advancements or new economic policies (e.g. open market).

Strategic planning is therefore a necessity in every kind of organisation, be it a church, a government, community, political or business institution. The idea of strategic planning emerged in corporations that wanted to have a strategy on how to maximise their profits. Today, the motivation is manifold and differs according to the type of organisation.