Thoughts taken from "The Theology and Practice of Strategic Planning" by Michael Zigarelli, Regent Business Review, September/October 2004.

Many times actions without planning lead to chaos. Without a formal strategy and structure, growing organizations will tend to "tear apart at the seams." We want to develop a culture of planning and a culture of effective execution of the plans.

When planning is a priority, it will strengthen your organization and improve your bottom line. When planning is neglected, the opposite happens. Failure to plan is truly a plan for failure.

God is a planner (for example, see Jeremiah 1:5). Many Christians also love to quote Jeremiah 29:11. Jesus also affirmed the importance of planning (Luke 14:28-32).

So how are we to plan?

1. Plan in partnership with God (Proverbs 21:30, Proverbs 19:21). Depend upon His Word and His counsel (James 4:14-15) and be submissive to changes He ordains (Proverbs 16:3).

2. Plan in partnership with others (Proverbs 20:18, Proverbs 15:22); take time to produce good plans (Proverbs 21:5).

What are the steps to producing a Strategic Plan?

1. Decide what business you're in and write a mission statement. Your mission statement, your goals, and your plans will flow from the answer to "what business am I in?" *so consider that question carefully.

2. Next ask, "Why does our business exist?" Gather ideas and suggestions for the mission and hone them into a short, sharply focused phrase that is framed as follows: "what customer needs are to be satisfied and the functions your firm must perform to satisfy them." That is, don't focus your mission statement on products and technologies alone*these change over time*but basic customer needs tend to endure. Your mission statement is a precise statement of purpose. A good example from the American Red Cross*To serve the most vulnerable.

3. Compare your mission statement to others in your industry. Circulate several drafts to people smarter and more experienced than yourself. Eventually you'll converge on something that has meaning and clarity and will be a powerful statement of who you are as an organization.

4. Conduct a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Strengths). You'll be asking hard questions about your organization's strengths and weaknesses. How are you doing in each functional area (marketing, production, product development, finance, etc.) compared to your competition? Then think about the opportunities and threats posed by the external environment. What trends do you see that have or will impact your organization? These trends would include economic, technological, demographic, political/legal and socio/cultural. Can you find a strength (perhaps a core competency) in your company that can help you take advantage of an external opportunity or ward off an external threat? What will you do to shore up the weaknesses you uncover? How will you prioritize what to attack first? How will you then allocate resources to these projects?

5. Set SMART goals*there are different words that are used for this acronym. I like SPECIFIC, MEASUREABLE, AGREED UPON, REALISTIC, and TIME-BASED.

6. Create a structure of accountability to pursue your goals. "You get what you measure and incentivize" is good counsel. Holding one person accountable for each action step in the plan is crucial. No progress; no reward. Hold monthly meetings to keep everyone on track.

7. Create contingency plans. The future is unpredictable. What if the sales you forecast don't materialize? What if the sales double your forecast? Be prepared.

8. Plan in the Spirit*not instead of the Spirit. Do well to respect our sovereign God in our planning.

Thoughts from Scripture:

Genesis 11:6
The LORD said, "If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them."

It might not be stretching the truth to say that when people are aligned behind a common purpose and vision, they can accomplish great things. The strategic planning process can be used as an instrument in gaining this alignment.

Question: Do you believe the people in your organization are "aligned?"

Micah 4:12
But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD ; they do not understand his plan, he who gathers them like sheaves to the threshing floor.

Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.

It is understandable that we as human beings do not fully comprehend the LORD's plan. However, He has given to us His written Word whereby we see even "as through a glass darkly." We have faith that His plan for mankind as a whole and for each individual will come to pass for His glory.

Question: How do you go about discerning the LORD's will in your business?

1 Chronicles 28:12
He gave him the plans of all that the Spirit had put in his mind for the courts of the temple of the LORD and all the surrounding rooms, for the treasuries of the temple of God and for the treasuries for the dedicated things.

Proverbs 15:22
Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.
Proverbs 20:18
Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance.

As we plan, we have spiritual resources at our disposal: the Word of God, His Holy Spirit, and the wise counsel of fellow believers. The Bible states clearly that in a multitude of counselors there is safety. Many Christian business owners develop an Advisory Board just for this purpose.

Question: Do you think that having an Advisory Board would be beneficial? Do the owners of your company seek counsel on a regular basis from those outside the company?

Job 5:12
He thwarts the plans of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.

Psalm 20:4
May he give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.

Certainly, we wish to make our plans so that God approves of our plans and blesses our plans.

Question: Wow! The above verses sound like I can get anything I want! Is that true?

Proverbs 21:5
The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty.

Profit can be described in non-monetary terms as well.

Question: How would you describe "profit" in non-monetary terms?

Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD , "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

This verse must be interpreted (as all others) within the entire context of the passage from which it is taken. But it is still a comforting verse.

Question: Does the LORD really want to prosper each of us? What does that mean? Do you think the LORD has specific plans for you? For your business?

James 4:13-16
Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, "If the LORD wills, we shall live and also do this or that." But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Here we see a warning of being pretentious in our planning. We pray and we plan with the understanding that in all things we are to submit to the LORD's plans.

Question: How do you know when you've crossed the line from being a good planner to presuming upon the LORD?