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GOSPEL Goal Setting

This model of goal setting is adapted from the (GOSPA) model

G- Goals
This is something to strive for, and something that is achievable.  A goal motivates us to move in it’s direction.  A church goal could be to reach 2500 people for Jesus Christ.  Another church goal could be to “make new disciples of Jesus Christ.”  Maybe a church would desire to  feed all the homeless in Kansas City.  That is a goal as well.  Some call it a mission or vision, but a goal is something we are trying to achieve.

O-Objectives
An objective is measurable and deliverable within a specific timeframe.  So, we will reach 2500 people for Jesus Christ by 2020.  Or, we will make 50 “new” disciples of Jesus Christ every year.  Quantifying the number of homeless and defining the time frame for reaching/feeding  would be naming the objective.

S- Strategies
How are we going to achieve our goal?  Strategy is the how.  This the “doing” of goal setting.  So, to reach 2500 people for Jesus Christ we need to implement a “strategy” for achieving that goal.  It could be marketing, discipleship classes on evangelism or numerous other “how’s”.   Ok, how are we going to make 50 “new” disciples this year? Well, we could utilize small groups, home groups or growth groups to achieve this goal.

P- Plans
This is the “how to” implemented down to specific dates and times.  What do we as a church need to do in the next 30 days to move the strategy forward?  If we are trying to reach people in a specific time period, we would need to get the word out in numerous ways.  If we are trying to “make” disciples, a process would need to be implemented to help “make” new disciples.  If we are trying to feed the homeless, we need people and food.

E- Experiences
What activities, experiences and actions need to happen to move everything forward?  This is your day to day, maybe even cut down to 15 minute increments of daily experiences, movement of the goal.  To achieve big goals, the vision must be brought down to the day to day, minute by minute experiences, activities and actions.

L-Learnings
Just having goals, objectives, strategies, plans and experiences does not make an expert in our field of endeavor.  What is missing from much of goal setting is the concept of becoming more.  If you are going to achieve big goals, you cannot stay the same.  We must become more.  To become more means we become the expert in our field.  Knowledge will get us nowhere unless our learnings are put into practice.

And do not wait until conditions are perfect to try something new.  You will be waiting forever.  Someone once said, “anything worth doing is worth doing poorly at first.  It’s not practice that makes perfect, it’s perfect practice that makes perfect”.

Hopefully you find this helpful and if you or your church need advice or coaching to move through some serious GOSPEL goal setting, feel free to contact me.