The Evangel Dean School - Developing Wisdom

138 • T he E vangel D ean S chool : D eveloping W isdom , C onviction , and P erspective in C hurch P lant T eams

III. Establish Priorities: Concentrate on things for first importance. Of all the things you pursue, which things will you commit to accomplish this year as your priorities?

Toward a Flexible Strategy for Ministry: Coordinating the Team for Success , continued

Based on his situation and the opposition he faced, Nehemiah set priorities as to the construction and the security of the project, Neh. 4.15-20.

A. Definition

1. Establishing priorities involves sorting your goals into things you might do versus things you must do, those SMART goals you intend to pursue 2. Using the SMART acrostic can help you determine your priorities right now; goals are SMART when they are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Time-based.

B. Elements

1. Ask yourself which goals on your brainstorm list are absolutely important right now for you to pursue in light of where you are now as an enterprise?

2. Those deemed important should be “cleaned up” to match the SMART format

3. Those important, SMART-formatted goals should be sorted in order of urgency, importance, and confidence.

C. Illustration: Evangel School of Urban Church Planting

1. TUMI Project Portfolio

2. How do we use our imagination to determine possible rabbits to chase?

3. Hosting the Evangel School of Urban Church Planting clarifies our dream to identify, equip, and empower partners who are investing in emerging leaders around the world.