Larry Leader’s home phone rings. It’s a call from his pastor, Dee Parsons, asking Larry to serve as a member of All Alike Baptist Church’s new long-range planning group. Larry agrees and puts the first meeting on his calendar. Larry thinks a clearer idea of where we’re going as a church is timely.
A knot of nots
Not sure who else is on the long-range planning group, Larry arrives a bit early for the first meeting to watch the team congregate. Soon, all seven members, plus Pastor Dee and a planning coach from the local denominational office, have gathered to kick off All Alike’s new planning process.
Larry looks around the room and thinks to himself, “Wow! We certainly are a diverse crowd. From ‘what we’re for’ to ‘what we’re not for,’ we represent about every opinion and viewpoint in our church.”
Dee welcomes and thanks everyone, leads in prayer and introduces the planning coach. The coach then asks each group member to describe what they hope for from this planning effort. That’s when the fun begins.
You can’t tell the players without a score card
Neve R. Satisfied is bursting to speak, and he can’t keep from going first. Neve describes Big Box Church across town, where his married children now attend. That church is booming, it has tons of young people and everybody in town is talking about them.
“I want us to be exactly like Big Box, and I will not be content with anything less,” Neve insists.
Nelly Nice goes next. “I know we’ve had our differences in the past. We probably still have some discontent here at All Alike. But I’ll be disappointed if we’re not a happy church in the future. That’s all I hope for,” says Nelly wistfully.
Irma Impatience speaks up. “We’re a day late and a dollar short — again. All Alike never seems to get its act together. We cannot dilly-dally any longer. I want a good plan for the future, and I want it yesterday,” Irma snaps.
C.P. Aye announces strongly. “I was on the last planning committee, and we weren’t specific enough. We talked and talked, but we did not write anything down. This time, I want to see a printed, bound report on the shelf when we finish. I want a record in black-and-white, so we can’t wiggle off the hook again,” demands C.P.
“I agree,” chimes in Cee Quince. “If only we’d followed through on that last plan step-by-step, we’d be better off now. But our pastor was not focused and soon left. Then, we got distracted by our pastor search that brought Dee here. We wandered off track and ignored our plan totally.
“This time, I want us to get all our ducks in a row once and for all, write it all down, and implement our goals 100 percent by the book. I want no second thoughts and no changes after we approve our plan. I want us to do what we say we intend to do in 1-2-3 fashion,” Cee pronounces decisively.
First steps in planning
The planning group’s chairperson and All Alike’s resident saint, Sue Sweet, offers her hope next.
“We have an opportunity to find and do God’s will for All Alike. Let’s work together and do our work well.”
Then, Sue turns to Larry with, “We still haven’t heard from you, Larry. What would you like to see in our plan?”
Larry’s mind has been racing. He’s concerned about so many “not’s” in the planning group’s views of All Alike’s future. Larry’s thinking in more positive directions. But what does he really want for his church?
Larry surprises himself when he hears himself praying aloud:
“Father, we all have our own personal ideas, but deep down, we want to do your will. Guide us to understand our present and future ministry opportunities better. Teach us what makes our church unique. Draw us together and heal our differences. Give us clarity about healthy foundations on which we can build our future. Energize us to live out the calling you give us. Alert us to your Spirit as we take chances for you. Amen.”
Quiet “amen’s” whisper around the room. There’s a long moment of silent reflection. With that, All Alike’s long-range planning group takes its first steps in the adventure of discerning their church’s future together. It promises to be a step of faith.
Bob Dale (bobdale40@yahoo.com) is a leader coach living in Richmond.