2. Introduction
According to John M. Bryson, in our textbook “Strategic
Planning For Public and Nonprofit Organizations” leaders
and managers of governments, public agencies, nonprofit
organizations, and communities face numerous and difficult
challenges. Consider, for example, the dizzying number of
trends and events affecting the United States in the past
two decades: an aging and diversifying population; changes
in the nature of families; an apparent shift to political
conservatism; tax cuts, levy limits, and indexing; dramatic
shifts in federal and state responsibilities and funding
priorities; a huge bull market in equities followed by one of
the longest bear markets in history; a closing of the gap
between rich and poor and then a reopening of that gap;
the emergence of children as the largest group of poor
Americans; dramatic growth in the use of information
technology, e-commerce, and e-government; the changing
nature of work and a redefinition of careers; fears about
international terrorism; and the emergence of obesity as an
important public health concern.
3. Perhaps most ominously, we have experienced a
dramatic decline in social capital in recent decades
and citizens in the United States and other developed
countries appear to be less happy now than they
were thirty years ago.
Not surprisingly we have seen sustained attention to
governmental and nonprofit organizational design,
management, performance, and accountability as
part of the process of addressing these and other
concerns. Indeed, in the public sector, change--
though not necessarily dramatic or rapid change-is
the rule rather than the exception. Organizations
that want to survive, prosper, and do good and
important work must respond to the challenges the
world presents. Their response may be to do what
they have always done, only better; but they may
also need to shift their focus and strategies.
4. Although organizations typically experience long periods of
relative stability when change is incremental, they also
typically encounter periods of dramatic and rapid change.
These periods of organizational change may be exciting,
but they may also be anxiety producing-or even terrifying.
As geologist Derek V Ager notes, "The history of anyone
part of the earth ... consists of long periods of boredom
and short periods of terror."
Considering these events and trends noted, public and
nonprofit organizations (and communities) are required to
think , act, and learn strategically as never before.
Strategic planning is designed to help them do so. The
extensive experience of public, nonprofit, and private
organizations with strategic plannibg in recent decaded
offers a fund of research and advice that is useful in
addressing this issue today-change.
5. Churches are not immune from this though the approach to
addressing the issue may be somewhat different. As Professor
Derrick Barbee indicated in a lecture on the Nature of Strategic
Planning and Decision Making, in the 21st
century we live in a society
of rapid change and growth. Things around us change at a frenetic
pace. Aubrey Malphurs, in the textbook “Advanced Strategic
Planning” calls this Megachange.
According to Peter Drucker, a noted leadership expert, society tends
to reinvent itself every few hundred years and we are in the midst of
one of these “reinventings”. But the current societal landscape is
now producing such rapid change that even the forecasting “experts”
are at a loss for exactly what is next on the change horizon. The old
postmodern world is phasing out and the new postmodern world has
arrived in full force. So where is the church currently positioned in
this awkward transition from one predominant paradigm to another?
And where must she reposition herself in order to be effective and
relevant in the new society? Malphurs tells us that today, most
churches are plateaued or declining, that unchurched levels are still
high, and that while many people consider themselves to be
“spiritual” many do not consider themselves to be Christian or even
“religious”.
6. Churches must also focus on strategic planning to
better prepare for the potential for success in
today’s world. Strategic planning and decision-
making is not only necessary, practical, and
expeditious, but it is also biblical. Malphurs
gives several examples of scriptural support for
this notion in chapter one (such as Exodus 18). I
would also like to add a few others for you to
read: Proverbs 3:5-6 & 16:9, Psalm 37:23-24,
Jeremiah 29:11, and Acts 6:1-7. What the
Scriptures show us is that there must be a
healthy balance struck between faith and
strategy, prayer and planning, and that “letting
go and letting God” must work in conjunction
with strategic planning (and acting) and decision-
making.
7. Course Description:
Strategic Planning and Decision Making is designed to
help you become strategic planners and thinkers in
your organizations and your lives. You will learn
proven strategic planning models, how to apply these
models, how to access their effectiveness and how to
continuous improve this important process. The
course covers strategic planning in both public and
nonprofit organizations including churches.
We recognize that the models required for nonprofit
organizations and churches may differ. We will
therefore be using two primary textbooks in this
course: Strategic Planning for Public and Nonprofit
Organizations by John M. Bryson and Advanced
Strategic Planning by Aubrey Malphurs which focuses
on churches
8. YOUR SUCCESS IN THE COURSE
For you to be successful in the course, you must
follow the weekly outline and complete all
assignments in a timely manner. Please take the
time to familiarize yourself with the course site.
Pay particular attention to all of the
buttons/tabs on the left of the front home page.
Go to the guiding documents section to ensure
you have your syllabus, schedule, grading rubrics
and other relevant material. Then, go to the
assignments section where you will find helpful
information relative to certain of the
assignments.
9. APA is the required documentation format for
this course. If you are not familiar with this
format, please see abbreviated manual and
sample paper posted in course documents.
You should also purchase the APA Manual 6th
edition. Next, you will need to go to course
documents where you will find your weekly
assignments.
10. ATTENDANCE
As you may be aware, Beulah Heights University has
modified certain of its practices/procedures
regarding attendance. For on-line classes, you must
sign in at least once per week and you must complete
some work when you sign in. To be eligible to
receive credit for this course, you must sign in and
complete work for at least eighty percent (80%) of
the total number of learning cycles. Excluding the
break, this means you must sign in and complete
work for at least 12 of the 15 learning cycles. This
policy is reflected in the Syllabus.
11. Please know that I am available to assist
you in any way I can. It is my desire for
you to accomplish the course objectives, to
excel and to enjoy this course. You may
reach me at betty.palmer@beulah.org or
627-2681 ext.150.
With Blessings,
Professor Palmer
