As ministry leaders, one of our key responsibilities is to align our team’s strategy with the broader mission and vision of our church. While organizational goals provide direction, it’s essential to translate these into actionable strategies at the team level. The challenge lies in making this connection clear and meaningful for every team member.

Why This Matters

Understanding how your team’s work contributes to the church’s mission is crucial. The Bible provides several examples of strategic leadership, from Jethro advising Moses to delegate responsibilities (Exodus 18) to Nehemiah’s plan to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls. Strategy isn’t just a modern concept; it’s a biblical model for effective ministry. Yet, many teams struggle with this connection, leading to confusion and misalignment. By contextualizing the broader organizational strategy, we can help our teams focus, align, and contribute effectively.

Identifying the Gap

Often, church leaders set a clear mission and strategy, but teams struggle with execution due to a lack of clarity at the local level. This gap is usually not due to a lack of effort but rather an absence of an intentional process. As a leader, it’s your role to bridge this gap by translating the church’s mission into specific, actionable steps for your team.

Moving from Why to How

The process of creating a team strategy begins with identifying the unique barriers that keep the people you serve from Jesus. Your strategy should focus on removing these barriers in a way that aligns with your church’s overall mission. Without this focus, teams risk becoming overwhelmed with activities that don’t directly contribute to the mission.

Creating a Flexible Strategy

A common concern is that creating a strategy might make the team rigid, unable to adapt to changing needs. However, a well-crafted strategy acts more like a game plan than a blueprint. It provides direction while allowing flexibility when circumstances change. As Larry Osborne describes it, strategy is about managing your team’s time and energy effectively, ensuring that your efforts are aligned with the mission while remaining adaptable.

Defining Team Strategy

If the church’s mission is the “why,” and vision is “where we are going,” then strategy is “how we are going to get there.” As a leader, you are empowered to shape your team’s strategy. This involves setting clear priorities, focusing on what’s most important, and ensuring that your team’s work is directly connected to the church’s overall mission. Strategy is time-bound and should evolve as circumstances change, but it must always be clear and actionable.

Practical Steps to Implementing Strategy

Evaluate Your Team’s Alignment: Assess whether your team’s strategy is defined, clear, and understood by everyone. Identify any disconnects that might exist between your team’s work and the church’s broader goals.

Define Your Team’s Mission and Vision: Ensure that your team’s purpose aligns with the church’s mission. Identify the primary barriers your ministry is addressing and create a strategy to overcome them.

Set Strategic Priorities: Determine the 2-5 most important initiatives for your team this year. Focus on what will have the greatest impact and drive your ministry forward.

Create a “To-Don’t” List: Just as important as deciding what to do is deciding what not to do. Be intentional about the projects and tasks you say “no” to, ensuring that your team’s efforts remain focused on what matters most.

Regularly Review and Adjust: Schedule regular “balcony time” to step back and evaluate your strategy. Adjust your plans as needed to stay aligned with the church’s mission and respond to changing circumstances.

Conclusion

​Contextualizing organizational strategy into team strategy is not just about setting goals; it’s about creating a clear, focused direction that every team member can understand and act on. By taking intentional steps to align your team’s work with the broader mission, you can lead them to greater effectiveness and impact. Remember, strategy isn’t a one-time activity—it’s an ongoing process of refinement and alignment. As you lead your team through this process, you’ll help them see how their work contributes to the greater purpose of advancing God’s kingdom.

Anthony Hunt is an experienced Kids Pastor with nearly a decade of service in various church environments, including multisite, mobile, and permanent campuses in Indianapolis, IN. Before transitioning into Children’s Ministry, he worked in sales and marketing with Coca Cola. Anthony holds a Master of Arts in Practical Theology & Organizational Leadership and is currently pursuing an additional Master’s degree in Children’s, Youth, and Family Ministry.
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