REACH & Strategic Planning
REACH is a strategy for best accomplishing the mission of the church with excellence. It is not a program. Nor is it a five-year slogan to be replaced with another slogan. It is a culture, a mind-set, a way of life characterized by the following:
Strategy: Every great accomplishment in history, both within the church and without, was preceded by a disciplined plan. “It is essential,” Ellen White wrote, “to labor with order, following an organized plan and a definite object” (Manuscript 24, 1887). Every church organization and ministry should have a clearly defined strategy that everyone knows and embraces.
Mission: The mission of a church is its purpose. “It is a sin,” Ellen White states, “to be heedless, purposeless, and indifferent in any work in which we engage, but especially in the work of God” (RH, March 18, 1884). Mission is the purpose. It’s like the destination of a trip. Knowing the destination helps plan and guide the trip. Is the mission of your church organization crystal-clear?
Excellence: Everything God does is “Exhibit A.” In order to rightly represent Him, can His church on earth be anything less than best-in-class? As the world sees that we are the “head and not the tail” (Deut. 28:13), they will glorify the Father which is in heaven (Matt 5:16). The ultimate purpose of excellence, therefore, is to give glory to God (Rev. 14:6).
Core Values of REACH
Revival & transformation
Connecting with God through public and personal worship
Education for discipleship
Every youth and adult learning, growing, and becoming more like Christ
Alignment within the Church
Connecting effectively within our diverse church family
Community outreach & evangelism
Connecting with our communities—sharing hope and wholeness
Healthy leadership & management
God’s stewards insisting on personal and church-wide excellence
To learn more about REACH and how you can implement this strategy in your church or ministry, visit www.reachnorthamerica.org.