Let's give you an overview of the mission planning cycle...
Mission planning has three phases. Each includes both reflection and practical steps.
Discern
Prepare: Pray together, listen to Scripture, and commit to the process. Clarify your timeline. Identify who will resource you.
Gather: Gather information about your congregation and your community. ‘What has shaped us?’ ‘What are the strengths & needs around us?’
Listen: Pay attention to God, to one another, and to your neighbours. Use prayer days, surveys, round tables discussions or interviews.
➡️ Output: A shared picture of who you are, where you are, and what you’re hearing.
Dream & Decide
Visioning: Dream big. Imagine what your church looks like at its best and what God might be saying. Run “dreaming sessions” and break out of routine thinking.
Measuring: Be realistic. Consider people’s availability, finances, property, and partnerships. What opportunities excite you? What barriers may hold you back?
Focusing: Bring dreams and realities together. Choose a few clear goals and first steps. Write an action plan that includes responsibilities, resources, and a timeline.
➡️ Output: A clear and achievable mission plan, rooted in prayer and vision.
Do & Review
Implement: Start! Take action, try new things, and learn as you go. Celebrate successes and be honest about challenges.
Review: Reflect on what you’ve done. Ask: What worked well? What needs changing? Where do we sense God leading next?
➡️ Output: A renewed cycle of action, learning and discernment.
Your mission plan will be formed by a summary of each one of the above steps. We'll provide a checklist for you at the end of the process.
You're almost ready to begin! But first, consider the following...
1. Where are we now?
This will depend on your previous engagement with mission planning.
If you’ve never done mission planning → Start at ‘Discern’, the beginning of the planning cycle outlined below.
If you’re renewing an old plan → Begin with the 'Review’ step (page 11) and then consider which steps you should return to. This will most likely be the ‘Dream and Decide’ movement but revisiting ‘Discern’ can also be valuable.
If you already have a vision/strategy or have engaged in a different visioning/planning process → Look at the outline above, and consider which steps you can fast track as a result of work you’ve already done.
2. Choose Your Approach
WHO will be involved this process and at what level. While your whole congregation will have input at various points, in many contexts a smaller group must take responsibility for driving the planning process (church council, or even a subcommittee). And who will compile this plan by documenting a summary of each step.
WHEN will you complete your plan. Set clear expectations and timeline for the leaders. The planning you engage in can be done at a few levels: Streamlined (eg. a few meetings, one simple survey, and a short written plan) or Deep dive (eg. multiple workshops, detailed data, SWOT analysis, budgets, and community engagement). Both approaches are valid, and you should choose what is appropriate given your size and capacity.
3. Pray!
Whether you are reviewing, improving or starting from scratch with your mission plan, commit yourselves to pray and seek the wisdom and guidance of the Holy Spirit in this process. Who are some people you could ask to engage in intentional, consistent prayer during this process?
Once you're ready, gather your team and head to the relevant phase.