Strategic Management for Churches from Coursera

Why is vision theologically important for your church, and how should it be realized? How do church goals, objectives, metrics, core values, and culture play a crucial role in this? What kind of pastoral leadership is needed to bring God’s vision for your church to fruition?

In this second course in the Duke Divinity+ Church Administration Specialization series, you will learn how to approach strategic management theologically as strategic stewardship for your church. Secular organizations widely use strategic management (including strategic planning) to define their future strategic direction and how to achieve it. In contrast, what we’re calling strategic stewardship for churches seeks to reappropriate strategic management by discerning God’s direction for the church and pursuing God-centered ways of realizing it.

This course will focus on select key elements of strategic management: vision (Week 1), core values and culture (Week 2), goals and objectives (Week 3), and metrics (Week 4). We will first explore how each key element functions as a useful management tool. Then, we will reappropriate the key element for theological ends of our church stewardship to God; hence, our terminology of strategic stewardship. Moreover, we will unpack what pastoral leadership for strategic stewardship should entail. Lastly, we will provide exemplar stories from Duke Divinity School alums, who will share how they each approached and implemented a key element in their church setting.

What's inside

Syllabus

Strategic Stewardship of Church Vision

Is there a vision or mission statement that directs your church, including its church admin? What work should it do and what kinds of pastoral leadership does it call for? This week, we will begin by addressing the theological importance of the church vision—your church’s go-to statement—as the foundational component of strategic stewardship for churches. Drawing on our church admin series’ overall approach of deploying management means for theological ends, we will first examine how vision functions as an effective strategic management tool in secular organizations. We will then unpack a theology of church vision in order to illumine how vision ought to be appropriated for the theological goals of the church. Lastly, given the theological importance and goals of church vision, we will delineate how and why your pastoral leadership is crucial for your church’s stewardship of church vision.

Stewardship of Church Core Values and Culture

This week, we will look at the next two elements of strategic stewardship for churches: core values and culture. If your church vision answers why your church exists, then your church core values represent who you are as a church, and your church culture characterizes how things are done in your church. Importantly, culture is inextricably tied to core values, and hence, we are addressing them together. This week, as we did with church vision, we will examine why core values and culture are so important to organizations and then explore what their theological importance is for your church. Lastly, we will unpack what your pastoral leadership should entail for your faithful stewardship of your church core values and culture.

Stewardship of Church Goals and Objectives

Establishing a formal church vision statement is a significant step toward strategic stewardship. However, how will your church specifically achieve this vision? Church goals and objectives, the next two elements of strategic stewardship, are the means we will explore this week for realizing the church vision. If your church vision articulates where God is calling your church to go, then church goals and objectives should constitute God’s plan for how your church is to get there, in keeping with God’s calling for your church’s core values and culture. First, we will examine why and how goals and objectives are crucial for organizational vision. Then, we will explore how goals and objectives should be reappropriated for your church’s strategic stewardship, and lastly, how you should approach your pastoral leadership.

Stewardship of Church Metrics

Church metrics is the final element of strategic stewardship that we will address in this course. Church metrics are critical for monitoring progress toward achieving the church vision and gauging church health. To use a travel metaphor with your car as your church, your church vision is your destination, your church goals and objectives are the roads to get there, and your core values and culture are the road signs and guardrails. Then, metrics represent your car’s dashboard, consisting of the navigation system and gauges to monitor your progress toward your destination and your car’s health along the way. We will first examine why and how metrics are critical for vision-based objectives and timely red flags. Then, we will explore how metrics can be redeployed for church stewardship, and what this entails for your pastoral leadership. Finally, we will conclude with course takeaways.

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Develops theological importance of vision and reappropriation for church stewardship

Explores application of core values and culture for church leadership

Examines significance of goals and objectives in achieving vision

Highlights importance of metrics for monitoring progress toward vision

Taught by Rae Cho, experienced in church administration

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Strategic Management for Churches with these activities:

Review previous course materials and organize notes

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Refresh your memory and reinforce key concepts from previous coursework.

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Gather all relevant materials from previous coursework
Organize notes and create a cohesive study guide
Review the study guide regularly to reinforce learnings

Read 'Holy Bible: New International Version'

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Familiarize yourself with theological concepts and biblical references.

View NIV, Holy Bible, Soft Touch Edition,... on Amazon

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Read the entire Bible
Highlight or make notes of important passages
Summarize key themes and concepts

Write a reflection on the importance of vision for your church

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Deepen your understanding of the significance of vision in church leadership.

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Identify the key elements of your church's vision
Explore how these elements align with biblical principles
Write a reflection paper that articulates the theological rationale for your church's vision

Four other activities

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Attend a webinar on the role of pastoral leadership in strategic stewardship

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Engage with other learners and practitioners to expand your perspectives on pastoral leadership.

Browse courses on Pastoral Leadership

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Register for a webinar on the role of pastoral leadership in strategic stewardship
Attend the webinar and actively participate in the discussion
Reflect on the key insights gained from the webinar

Contribute to an online forum on strategic planning for churches

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Gain diverse perspectives and contribute to the wider church community's knowledge on strategic planning.

Browse courses on Strategic Planning

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Identify an online forum dedicated to strategic planning for churches
Register and create a profile on the forum
Actively participate in discussions, share insights, and ask questions related to strategic planning

Analyze case studies of churches that have successfully implemented strategic vision

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Gain practical insights into how churches can effectively execute their visions.

Browse courses on Case Studies

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Select several case studies of churches that have implemented successful strategic visions
Identify the key factors that contributed to these churches' successes
Analyze the challenges that these churches faced and how they overcame them
Develop a plan for how your church can learn from these case studies

Mentor a peer or colleague in the area of church strategic planning

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Deepen your understanding of strategic planning by sharing your knowledge and providing guidance to others.

Browse courses on Strategic Planning

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Identify a peer or colleague who is seeking guidance in church strategic planning
Establish a mentoring relationship and agree on goals and expectations
Provide regular support, advice, and feedback on the mentee's progress

Career center

Learners who complete Strategic Management for Churches will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Senior Pastor

Senior Pastors oversee the spiritual and administrative operations of a church or religious organization. They may be responsible for developing and implementing strategic plans, managing staff and volunteers, and leading worship services. This course can help prepare you for this role by providing you with a solid foundation in strategic management, leadership, and organizational development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Senior Pastor

Church Administrator

Church Administrators typically oversee day-to-day operations of a church or religious organization. They may be responsible for managing finances, human resources, and facilities. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

See salaries and explore the career path for Church Administrator

Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers plan, organize, and direct the activities of nonprofit organizations. They may be responsible for fundraising, program development, and financial management. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a solid foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Community Organizer

Community Organizers work with individuals and groups to address social and economic issues. They may be responsible for developing and implementing community programs, advocating for policy changes, and building coalitions. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Program Manager

Program Managers oversee the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs. They may be responsible for developing budgets, managing staff, and ensuring that programs meet their goals. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Project Manager

Project Managers plan, organize, and direct the activities of projects. They may be responsible for developing project plans, managing budgets, and ensuring that projects are completed on time and within budget. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Business Analyst

Business Analysts help organizations improve their business processes and systems. They may be responsible for gathering and analyzing data, developing recommendations, and implementing solutions. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Consultant

Consultants provide advice and guidance to organizations on a variety of topics, including strategic management, organizational development, and leadership. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Teacher

Teachers instruct students in a variety of subjects, including strategic management, organizational development, and leadership. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the leadership skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Researcher

Researchers conduct studies to answer questions and solve problems. They may be responsible for designing and conducting studies, analyzing data, and writing reports. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the research skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Writer

Writers create written content for a variety of purposes, including marketing, advertising, and public relations. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the writing skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Editor

Editors review and revise written content to ensure that it is clear, concise, and error-free. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the editing skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Librarian

Librarians help people find and access information. They may be responsible for managing libraries, developing collections, and providing reference services. This course can help you prepare for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It can also help you develop the research skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Archivist

Archivists preserve and manage historical records. They may be responsible for collecting, organizing, and storing records, as well as providing access to them. This course may be useful for preparing for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development. It may also help you develop the research skills you need to be successful in this role.

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Museum curator

Museum Curators oversee the collections and exhibitions of museums. They may be responsible for acquiring, preserving, and interpreting artifacts. This course may be useful for preparing for this role by providing you with a strong foundation in strategic management and organizational development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Museum curator