Proverbs 2:1-6; Philippians 1:9-10

Some keys to church planning seem to run counter to common practice. But applied intelligently, they can result in stronger, healthier churches.

1. Ignore your weaknesses. The usual pattern for planning in churches goes something like this: size up the ministry, identify any major weaknesses, develop and implement a plan for removing them. Yet this strategy is counterproductive: time spent worrying about weaknesses siphons away time and energy better spent on identifying and developing strengths. Instead of taking a creative and proactive approach, planning ends up defensive and reactive. The result is most often a mediocre program.
   
   Churches, like individuals, have been gifted and called to do some things uncommonly well-and other things not at all.
2. Don't grease the squeaky wheel. Every church has its chronic and vocal naysayers. The natural response is to grease the squeaky wheels-to cater to their complaints in hopes of silencing them. Unfortunately, it seldom works, because complaining is what squeaky wheels do.
   
   Too much attention to the squeakers can convey the message that the best way to have influence is to complain. More important, it may mean that leaders listen to 20 percent of the people-the complainers-while neglecting the other 80 percent-the producers.