bits from bob....

How Will We Know When We Get Where We're Going?

by Robert J. Young
©, 2001, Robert J. Young
[permission is given to reprint with credit noted]

What are your goals? Where are you going? How will you get there? These are important questions for any person--and for every church. What are the goals of this church? Where are we going? How will we get there?

Can you imagine hunting where there is no quarry? Or fishing where there are no fish? Would one hunt game in the midst of a city? Can you imagine a deer hunter putting his tree stand on the nearest light pole? On the contrary, hunters meticulously plan the hunt. They think about the quarry, locate the quarry, and actively seek the quarry.

We are involved in the greatest task known to a man, the greatest manhunt in the world. We must know what we are hunting, where to hunt, and how to begin. We require targets and realistic goals. We must discover God's mission for this church. We must plan for effectiveness.

• Our planning must reflect God. What does God want for this church? Is his will additional foreign missions, community outreach, stronger benevolent programs, more meaningful worship, stronger fellowship, all of the above, or some of the above?

• Our planning must reflect us. What are our unique strengths and talents? What are we able to do? What are our values? What do we want to do? What are the needs of this church? Shall we strengthen families and homes? What educational activities will encourage and motivate us? How can we effectively minister to our youth?

• Our planning must reflect those around us. What can we say to the problems of today's world? How can we bring a message from God to the anxious and stressed, the discouraged and defeated? How can we communicate the glory of God and the glory of the gospel to our community, county, country, and all of God's creation?

What are our targets? What are our immediate and future goals? Pray that we might identify the right target. We cannot accomplish anything lasting and worthwhile without plans. What do we want to hit? Jesus said, "The world." Where do we start? When do we start? Effective churches plan in order to hit God's target. How will we know when we get where we're going? Will we recognize the target?