Leadership is a continual focus upon growing from one point into the next. God has called leaders to be ahead of the people in order to help them get closer to God and each other. Without a strategic plan to accomplish vision, it remains only an idea. Leadership is being able to see the future that God has laid out and then explain the processes for people to understand how to achieve success. The key to handling the ideas and plans of any leader is to begin at the foundation, God’s Word. Moses had to decide a plan to achieve success in leading the Israelites out of Egypt. It is important to note that God’s vision comes from Him and the people of God are to fulfill it. Planning is the process of seeking God’s Will and clear ways to fulfill it. Moses was a good example of using strategic planning as a tool in leading the Israelites out of Egypt. The quote explains further, “Jethro taught Moses how to set up a strategic plan by delegating the work so that the load would be spread among many. As a result, the manpower resources were used more effectively and the ministry was accomplished. Moses was also thinking strategically when he sent spies to the land of Canaan” (Building Church Leaders). God used Moses and helped him lead others to take up the reins of leadership and bring about redemption for Israel. God also used Moses to plan and use his brother Aaron to implement the exodus from Egypt to the Promised Land. God has given us His principles of planning through Proverbs (16:1-4) andthrough many biblical heroes (Nehemiah, Moses, Joshua, Joseph). A foundational scripture on planning says, "Where there is no vision, the people will perish (Proverbs 29:18). God’s Word explains many commands, precepts, and principles to follow. The church is in dire need of strategic planning in order to clear the cobwebs of man-made plans and truly seek God’s plans. Jesus came for a specific purpose of bringing sinful mankind into a right relationship with God the Father through the cross. The church has to become rifle focused upon achieving the restoration of people’s lives into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Strategic planning clears the uncertainty and helps churches make decisions based upon the gospel over what is man-made (Proverbs 16:19). Leadership is to make plans as far out as possible to give people enough space to jump on-board the vision.
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