Orange Week: Integrated strategy
Posted on 17. Jan, 2010 by Kenny in Fresh Ideas, Leadership, Orange, Philosophy
Integrated strategy. Let’s look at both of these words.
My favorite definition for strategy from dictionary.com is:
“A plan, method, or series of maneuvers or stratagems for obtaining a specific goal or result.”
A strategy is a plan of action with an end in mind. Too often churches fail to take the time to develop strategy. Massive programs and ministries exist to make a difference in a community, but rarely is the question asked, “Are we producing the desired results?” Or eve more importantly, “Do the produced results really matter?”
As it relates to you who are reading this post, what do you want students and children to be when they grow up? What traits do you want them to exhibit? What values do they need to posses? This is the specific goal or result as talked about in strategy. Next is where integration comes in.
If a children’s ministry has a different strategy from the student ministry, both will be frustrated and see limited success. Both will be pushing kids toward different ends. Okay, so maybe the children’s ministry and student ministry come together on the end goal. Unless their methods and plans are in alignment, it’s unlikely they’ll achieve their goal. The bottom line is that children’s ministry and student ministry must work together and be in alignment. This is an integrated strategy.
Once a church has an integrated strategy for children and youth, everything can be evaluated in light of the end goal.
During Orange week others are blogging on the same topic each day and links to their posts will show up in the comments. Be sure to visit their posts to see how the elements of the Orange strategy are being carried out in real-live scenarios. If you want to share your thoughts surrounding this topic you can either by replying in the comments or writing a post on your own blog and linking back to this specific blog post (so the link to your post will show up in the comments).
11 Responses to “Orange Week: Integrated strategy”
Trackbacks/Pingbacks
-
-
January 17, 2010
[...] how much I mean it. Want to see what others are saying about integrated strategy? Head on over to ChildrensMinistryOnline.com to see what others in the kidmin community are saying during Orange Week! Leave a [...]
-
-
January 17, 2010
[...] Strategy – Kenny and Matt really spoke to the definition of what Integrated strategy is. While Jonathan and Kendra [...]
-
-
January 23, 2010
[...] Kenny Conley [...]
Leave a Reply
Kendra Golden
17. Jan, 2010
I wrote about this element today too. It’s probably my favorite one of the five so it got out of control and is wicked long. Thanks for starting Orange Week! Will you post links to the other participating blogs so I can add the ones I may not already follow?
Matt McKee
17. Jan, 2010
Here is what the Orange Strategy looks like at Horizon Community Church. Read this post: http://www.mattmckee.me/?p=1214
.-= Matt McKee´s last blog ..I bleed…. Orange?!?!? =-.
Anthony Prince
17. Jan, 2010
Posted some quick thoughts on Integrated Strategy here: http://westcoastcm.wordpress.com/2010/01/17/orange-week-integrated-strategy-2/ Looking forward to the rest of Orange Week!
jonathan
17. Jan, 2010
Here is what Integrated Strategy looks like at Trinity Church in Lubbock, TX // http://www.jonathancliff.com/2010/01/integrated-strategy/
Rebekah
17. Jan, 2010
I’ve been so proud to be a part of integrated strategy at Oak Leaf Church in Cartersville, GA. Our senior pastor (a former youth pastor), believes in student ministry being a vital part of the church. Students being a part a youth group as a separate entity does not help them in the long run, but students playing a role in the church as a whole benefits them for life. When a student graduates and all they know is “youth group,” where do they go from there? At Oak Leaf, Students have been leading preschoolers and elementary students to Jesus every week for several months now, while at the same time leading their friends to serve! Students have events specific to them once a month, participate in small groups, but most importantly, are a part of the church. Students drag their parents to church on the weekends, creating even more of a victory for reaching the whole family!
sam
17. Jan, 2010
Here are the things we do well and what we are working on doing better in terms of integrated strategy http://samluce.com/?p=2540
Niko
18. Jan, 2010
I think most children/student ministries can easily fall into the trap of stating they are trying to get their kids to live like Jesus, without actually stating what that looks like or even means in today’s world. So even though they appear to be lined up the definitions behind it could be totally different.
Clay Conry
18. Jan, 2010
We’re struggling to make the connection (from #kidmin to #stumin) here! We have had some ideas and this post has provided a few new ones. I am looking forward to the rest of Orange Week
.-= Clay Conry´s last blog ..YPClayConry: Support Haiti with a #Help #Haiti Shirt! Over $4,000 raised so far! http://ow.ly/Xni1 #fb =-.