Key Takeaways

• Begin planning your church year in September or early October rather than waiting until January
• Schedule two to three deep work blocks of two to three days each throughout your planning month
• Spacing out church planning sessions allows ideas to process subconsciously between focused sessions
• Communicate the “why” behind your plans to build team alignment and buy-in
• Enlist prayer support before and during your planning retreat
• Planning provides a framework to allow the Holy Spirit to move more effectively

Why Most Pastors Struggle With Planning

Planning is a skill many church leaders were never formally taught. Whether you come from a charismatic background emphasizing spontaneity or simply never had a mentor walk you through the process, the reality is effective planning requires intentional development.

Rohan Bell, who pastors a multi-site church in Australia, admits church planning “comes more naturally” to him as an analytical person. However, he emphasizes the real breakthrough came when he recognized the importance of advanced pre-planning. As he explains,

“I had to learn as a multi-site pastor planning is not a dirty word.”

For many pastors raised in Pentecostal or charismatic traditions, there can be tension between planning and leaving room for the Holy Spirit. Bell addresses this directly:

“I had to come to a revelation some years ago that God honours the fact we plan in advance. And I find by doing that, it’s like a framework which allows the Spirit to move.”

The September Secret

One of the most practical insights Bell shares is his timeline for annual planning. While many pastors carve out time in January to plan the coming year, Bell argues this approach is far too late for today’s complex ministry environment.

“I generally start in September,” Bell shares. “Before I was a multi-site pastor, I used to kind of carve out the beginning of January. But as the complexity of ministry has developed, I have realised it’s way too late for me to be planning in December with Christmas and January in the new year.”

His goal is to have planning completed by the October holiday weekend at the absolute latest. This early timeline allows him to disseminate information to location pastors and teams effectively, ensuring everyone can launch the year running strong in February.

The Power of Deep Work Blocks

Rather than trying to squeeze planning into scattered hours throughout the week, Bell recommends dedicating focused blocks of time exclusively to planning. He typically sets aside two to three blocks of two to three days each throughout September.

Bell credits the book Cal Newport’s Deep Work for shaping this approach.

“I realized something like planning has to be done intentionally in a time of deep work,” he notes. “It’s amazing how much I can accomplish in two or three days if I was just trying to do a couple of hours here and there in amongst my interruptions, it would be a lot more complicated.”

Why Spacing Matters

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of Bell’s approach is his intentional spacing between planning sessions. Rather than completing all planning in one extended retreat, he spreads it across the month. The reason is both practical and spiritual.

“By spacing it out a little bit, I get a couple of days of work. I get to strategize and I sit on it. And then over the course of the next week or two before I go into my next deep dive, it’s loaded up in my brain. It’s processing it.”

Bell compares this to sermon preparation, where he loads up future sermon topics and allows them to percolate over time.

“There’s space there for God to speak because I’ve already tuned in,” he explains.

This approach allows the Holy Spirit to speak into the planning process between sessions.

Building a Framework for the Spirit

Bell draws a powerful illustration from Scripture to address concerns about planning versus spiritual spontaneity. He points to David’s extensive preparation for the temple Solomon would build.

“David spent years planning the temple and we like to talk as Pentecostals and Charismatics about the Spirit showing up and no one could do their ministry, but as if that’s a good thing,” Bell reflects. “I think it was precisely because there was framework and planning and strategy over many years.”

This perspective reframes planning not as a limitation on the Holy Spirit but as an act of faith and stewardship God honours.

Practical Steps for Your Planning Process

When Bell begins his planning sessions, he and his wife start by asking a foundational question:

“What are the big stones? What are the big key focus values we need to focus on in the next year?”

From there, they identify which areas need reinforcement and build a preaching calendar around those themes. Bell’s approach is comprehensive. His entire next year’s sermon calendar is completed during planning season, though he notes it remains flexible.

“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath,” Bell says. “So it’s there to serve us, but we don’t serve it.”

The Prayer Factor

An often overlooked element of effective planning is prayer support. Bell recommends enlisting a team of intercessors to pray during your planning retreat.

“Prayer is really important,” he emphasizes. “The Holy Spirit is the one who will reveal what we need to know. So we should be asking the Holy Spirit.”

Creating Team Alignment

Even the best plans fail without team buy-in. Bell shares candidly about lessons learned regarding alignment.

“The number one thing has been assuming just because I say it, everyone will get it,” he admits. “I think I’ve realized there needs to be space for people to genuinely ask questions.”

This year, Bell invested time explaining the “why” behind church plans to a development team at one of his locations. The result was remarkable.

“They can own this. They can be a part of it. They understand our schedule. They understand what we’re trying to achieve this year.”

The payoff has been significant, including a move of prayer and a stronger sense of community.

“It’s the secret we kind of discovered without even trying,” Bell shares.

Start Planning Your Planning

Insights from Patrick Lencioni’s Working Genius revealed his inventor strengths but limits.

“I’m an inventor, so I’m actually quite quick at coming up with ideas… but probably I get about eighty percent of that right.”

Embracing questions transformed dynamics.

“There needs to be space for people to genuinely ask questions… I can’t feel threatened by questions being asked,” he learned.

Team discernment refines visions, enhancing reach. For any church, dialogue builds unity. Pastors, create safe spaces; alignment emerges from collaboration, not command.

Wrapping Up: Empower Your Church Through Intentional Planning

As you look ahead to your next ministry year, consider implementing these strategies. Schedule those deep work blocks. Gather prayer support. And remember planning is not the enemy of spiritual vitality. It is the framework through which God often chooses to move.

Frequently Asked Questions