As Integrity Church grows, my desire is that it's current and rising leaders would not only have great Christ-honoring ideas but also have the ability to implement their ideas and bring them to reality.

I recently found this article by Mark Driscoll. In the article he describes a process a leader can use to effectively make his or her idea into a reality. When you are planning for any type of project, it's important to ask your idea questions. You would be surprised how much more effective you'll be when you take the time to answer as many questions about your idea before you actually launch it.

I thought I'd share this process in hopes the leaders of Integrity Church would take the time to plan, prepare and see their good ideas to reality.

Change. Every leader wants it. And some are more effective at making it happen. In addition to God's grace, the following process has proven invaluable to me, as I have consciously used it for over a decade. I offer it in hopes of serving those who serve others.

Vision

At this phase, an idea emerges that seems worthwhile but the following questions need to be answered in order to determine its viability. In answering these questions, the input of the staff and deacons, as well as other selected people, will be very helpful to you.

    1. What are the measurable outcome goals and do they correlate with the mission objective you are seeking to accomplish?

    2. Is this idea best suited for your area of responsibility or should someone else be appointed to lead it since it best fits his or her ministry area?

Plan

At this phase, the idea and its goals are clarified in a detailed written proposal. The proposal could be presented to the staff and elders for approval. Answers to the following questions can provide details for the proposal, specifically details about what implementing the idea would require.

    1. What is your biblical/theological justification for this ministry?

    2. How long will this take to implement and what is the time line for the phases necessary to implement it?

    3. Who will be responsible for it and how many hours will it require of them to launch and also oversee the ministry?

    4. How much will it cost, both to launch and maintain?

    5. How many volunteers will be needed and whom do you have in mind?

    6. What facilities will it require?

    7. What promotions will it require?

    8. What type of people are you anticipating will attend and/or participate?

    9. How will this require time and energy of the elders and deacons?

    10. How might this compete with and/or negatively impact other ministries?

    11. How can people pray for this ministry?

Implement

The idea has been justified, planned, and approved; it now needs to be launched as a reality. The plan needs to be executed and at this phase, the hard work begins in an effort to build momentum and make the idea a reality.

Manage

At this phase, the idea has become a new reality but shortly thereafter the ministry will likely lose momentum as the work becomes routine, the systems that were planned need to be upgraded for efficiency, and faithful people need to ensure the ministry continues forward and that the devoted people serving do not grow weary or lose heart.

In my limited experience in ministry I've seen this happen quite frequently. Perhaps we launch a new process for following up with first-time guest, or a new method for set-up/tear-down. It goes smoothly for the first couple months and then it begins to lose steam. The systems that you launch and manage have to be constantly upgraded and the glitches need to be corrected.

I like to relate "planting" new ministry's or beginning new ideas to a garden. In order for your garden to bear good vegetables, it needs to be watered, have insecticide, weeded, etc... or your garden will fail. The same is true with any new ministry that is launched. If you don't constantly "water" it. It will lose momentum and eventually fail. 

Review

At the six-month and one-year marks of each ministry (as well as other designated times), the leader of that ministry must ensure that accurate and meaningful reviews are conducted to answer the following questions and determine if the ministry should continue, be changed, or cease.

    1. Have you met your objectives?
   
    2. Why or why not?

    3. Should this ministry continue?

    4. How can you improve?

    5. What changes must be made?

-Jake Sherron