In contemporary mission, there are some terms that have almost lost their meaning due to over use.  Partnership can mean anything from you paying for my plane ticket to 2 international agencies integrating their training services.  The term “strategic” is another of these terms. 

Let’s start a conversation around this issue.  What do we mean when we say that something is “Strategic”?  How do we assess the strategic importance of the project proposals that are on our desk?  Is it possible for one organization working in isolation to assess the strategic importance of its activities?  do we have the information necessary to make strategic decisions?  Do we have the processes necessary to turn information into an action plan?  Do we understand our own agency well enough to recognize where a strategic intervention is a fit for us?  Do we have the ability to assess our capacity to implement a strategy?

These and other questions will emerge and evolve as we begin this conversation.  I would like to begin the conversation here by making the statement that strategy is an aspect fo stewardship– it is what distinguishes faithful stewards.  As the global church, we steward the most important, precious message the human race will ever know, and that is the living message of the Kingdom of God. 

By way of definition, I’ll start us off with a rough one and let a much more developed one emerge.  Strategy is essentially figuring out what action makes sense here and now respective of what else is happening around us.  As such it is context based, context driven. 

Look forward to the conversation!  Blessings all…