{"id":1005,"date":"2020-08-08T23:42:13","date_gmt":"2020-08-08T23:42:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/saffold.com\/blog\/?p=1005"},"modified":"2020-08-08T23:52:48","modified_gmt":"2020-08-08T23:52:48","slug":"planning-with-mind-heart","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saffold.com\/blog\/2020\/08\/08\/planning-with-mind-heart\/","title":{"rendered":"Planning with Mind & Heart"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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This is chapter one from the second edition of my book Strategic Planning for Christian Organizations. <\/em>You can find the book on Amazon: https:\/\/www.amazon.ca\/Strategic-Planning-Christian-Organizations-Direction\/dp\/B08C94SL7J\/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=saffold+planning&qid=1596930738&s=books&sr=1-1.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll this is in writing,\u201d David said, \u201cbecause\nthe hand of the Lord was upon me, and he gave me understanding in all the\ndetails of the plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u2014 I\nChronicles 28:19<\/p>\n\n\n\n

King David had a plan. God had given him\nunderstanding in all the details. The entire process was guided by the hand of\nthe Lord. The plan was eventually executed and strategically influenced the\ncourse of David\u2019s kingdom for the next one thousand years. Could be no better\nmodel for how Christian leaders should tackle the process of strategic\nplanning?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Envisioned and planned by David, constructed by his son\nSolomon, the temple and its successors became the focal point of Jewish faith\nand worship until Jesus through his life, death, and resurrection fulfilled all\nthe purposes of which it had been only a foreshadowing. It was a transformative\nvision with powerful and enduring impact. If that isn\u2019t strategic development,\nnothing is. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We begin our study of strategic planning by learning from this\nremarkable biblical example. There is a great deal we can learn from it about how\nwe should do our planning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Ark of the Covenant and God\u2019s Presence<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Ark of the Covenant was small, no more than\nfour feet long, two feet wide and two feet tall, but enormous in importance. Constructed\nduring Israel\u2019s wilderness journey by the artisan Bezalel under the direction\nof Moses, the ark was significant for both its contents and its surface. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the ark were three objects of immense significance\nto the faith of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing\nmanna, Aaron\u2019s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the\ncovenant. \u2013 Hebrews 9:4<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The jar of manna was a symbol of God\u2019s loving care. The rod\na reminder of the authority invested in Moses and Aaron. The stone tablets with\nthe law of God defined the terms of his covenant with the people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory,\novershadowing the atonement cover. \u2013Hebrews 9:5 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The top cover of the ark, a golden cover\nadorned with two cherubim facing one another, was called the \u201cmercy seat\u201d the\nglory of God was said to be \u201centhroned\u201d between the cherubim. The mercy seat\nwas a sign of God\u2019s presence and grace among his people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Together these items pointed to the authority, holiness and\nlaw of God combined with his loving care and gracious presence. One day in the future\nthe apostle John would write:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling\namong us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came\nfrom the Father, full of grace and truth. \u2013John 1:14<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In David\u2019s time, however, it was the ark that\nmost fully pictured the character of God for his people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For this reason, it had been considered a national disaster\nwhen the during a losing battle with the Philistines, the ark was captured and\ncarried away. The details of the account are too many to mention here, but it\nwas a day of great celebration when David and his army finally brought the ark\ninto Jerusalem, the new capital city of Israel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,while\nhe and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets. \u2013 2 Samuel\n6:14-15<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David, his men, and all the people had great reason to\ncelebrate. The symbols of God\u2019s covenant with Israel, and more important still\nthe glory of his gracious presence had been restored to his people. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the ark again in his possession, after a short time of\nwaiting, David made an important decision, perhaps the most profound of his\nkingship. He decided to bring the ark to Jerusalem, his recently conquered\ncapital city. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And they brought in the ark of the Lord and set it in its place, inside the\ntent that David had pitched for it. \u2013 2 Samuel 6:17<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was a very significant step in David\u2019s efforts to\nconsolidate his rule and kingdom. The ark and all it meant to the people was\nnow at rest and secure in the capital city. Now it would be to Jerusalem that\npeople came on pilgrimages, to Jerusalem they would bring their gifts in\nworship. Jerusalem would be the center of their religious life. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

God began to pour out his blessing on David and Israel.\nJerusalem also became the center for Israel\u2019s commerce and military strength. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

And David became more and more powerful,\nbecause the Lord God of Heaven\u2019s\nArmies was with him. \u2013 2 Samuel 5:10<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resulting prosperity made it possible for David to\nembark on a series of massive building programs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So David made the fortress his home, and he\ncalled it the City of David. He extended the city, starting at the supporting\nterraces and working inward. \u2013 2 Samuel 5:9<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pre-eminent among all of David\u2019s major projects was a\npalatial residence for himself. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then King Hiram of Tyre sent messengers to\nDavid, along with cedar timber and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built\nDavid a palace. \u2013 2 Samuel 5:11-12 <\/p>\n\n\n\n

After many years of war, David at last settled into his\npalace and found himself at peace. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The king lived in his house and the Lord had given him rest from all his\nsurrounding enemies. \u2013 2 Samuel 7:1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This, then, was the situation David enjoyed, a status\nsummary we might call it, at the point where David begins to think about\nconstructing a house for God. Let\u2019s turn now to what was going through David\u2019s\nmind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Evaluates His Circumstances<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jerusalem had become the national, commercial,\nand religious center of the kingdom. People from all directions, from Israel\nand from other nations were flowing into the city.  Imagine the streets filled with life, vendors\nand people going to market, farmers with produce, soldiers in armor, pilgrims\ncoming to worship and priests preparing sacrifices. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

With this picture of Jerusalem in mind imagine also King David\nstanding on the roof of his palace to survey all he had done. As he looked over\nthe city, he realized that there was a glaring problem right before his eyes, evident,\nin fact, to every person who entered the city\u2019s gates and walked its streets. David\ncalled for his close friend and counselor, Nathan the prophet, to join on the\nroof.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The king said to Nathan the prophet, \u201cSee now,\nI dwell in a house of cedar, but the ark of God dwells in a tent.\u201d  \u2013 2 Samuel 7:2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice how David directs Nathan to \u201csee.\u201d The problem was\nnot hidden but incredibly visible. The king was living in a palace, the ark was\nin a tent. David is troubled because it looks like the king is more important\nthan God, and that simply will not do. It must be indisputably clear to one and\nall, to every resident and every visitor, that God is more important than\nanything else, even the king. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than anything else, David longed to honor God.  The ark needed a new home more glorious than\nthe king\u2019s own palace. A new vision grew in David\u2019s mind and soul: a plan for a\ngreat house for the Lord. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Develops a \u201cHoly Discontent\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is important to note that the origin of\nDavid\u2019s vision for the temple was not a revelation from God but something that\ngrew from his own thoughts and reflections. He put his active mind and\nsensitive spirit to work analyzing his situation, considering what was still to\nbe done, planning next steps. We must not rule out that God may have been\nsilently prompting his thoughts, but the text makes clear that the vision did\nnot begin with a word from God but rather with David\u2019s consideration of the\nstatus of his kingdom and city. When he looked about, he found that he was not\nsatisfied with things as they were. And because he was a leader, he resolved to\ndo something about it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The root of godly strategic plans is very often found in\nexactly this kind of \u201choly discontent.\u201d This kind of discontent does not flow\nfrom cynicism, discouragement or unhappiness. Rather it arises from a restless\ndesire to achieve some greater good, increased achievement of goals, a wider\nministry. Holy discontent can take many forms, but when it is genuine all its\nforms are directed solely to the glory of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its best, strategic planning flows from a
\n\u201choly discontent\u201d with present circumstances,
\na sense that God has in mind greater
\nthings for us to do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We can also observe that David did not rush ahead without\nconsidering what God\u2019s will might be. A concern to consult God\u2019s mind was the\nvery reason that David had called Nathan the prophet into the planning process.\nNathan saw the same problem with the ark\u2019s location in a tent. He quickly\nagreed with David\u2019s plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhatever you have in mind, go ahead and do it, for the Lord is with you.\u201d \u20132 Samuel 7:3<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Receives God\u2019s Direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

God now spoke more directly into the process\nwith some critical directions. Many years later David explained to the people\nwhat happened next. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

King David rose to his feet and said: \u201cListen\nto me, my fellow Israelites, my people. I had it in my heart to build a house\nas a place of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, for the footstool\nof our God, and I made plans to build it. But God said to me, \u2018You are not to\nbuild a house for my Name, because you are a warrior and have shed blood. . . .\n\u2019  He said to me: \u2018Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and\nmy courts. \u20131 Chronicles 28:2-3,6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God affirmed the plan to build a temple, but he directed\nthat Solomon not David was the one who would build it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We do well to have in mind great
\nachievements for God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We must now ask whether David had made a presumptuous\nmistake by envisioning this plan for a temple? Is it possible that he had\nsinfully taken matters into his own hands? Was he wrong to begin thinking about\na great plan like this? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, not at all! David\u2019s son Solomon explains.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy father David\nhad it in his heart to build a temple for the Name of the Lord, the God of\nIsrael. But the Lord said to my father David, \u2018You did well to have it in your\nheart to build a temple for my Name. \u2013 2 Chronicles 6:7-8<\/p>\n\n\n\n

David had \u201cdone well\u201d to reflect, analyze and envision a\ngreat plan to glorify God\u2019s name. God commended the \u201choly discontent\u201d of his\nheart that gave birth to the vision. But David had also done the right thing by\nseeking God\u2019s guidance through Nathan the prophet. God had responded by\ndirecting some adjustments to the original vision, but he also makes clear to\nDavid, \u201cYou did well!\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Submits to God\u2019s Will<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

David was now at risk of acting presumptuously\nby rushing ahead with his vision regardless of God\u2019s instructions. Many leaders\nmake this mistake not because they do not care about God but because they do.\nTheir passion to move ahead and their enthusiasm for the vision puts them at\nrisk of acting too quickly, without God\u2019s guidance or even against indications\nthat their project may not be entirely consistent with God\u2019s will or timing. The\nresults are almost always disastrous for the leader and often for others, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David immediately submits to God\u2019s will with an eager heart.\nIn telling David that he is not the one to build a house for God, God also\npromises to build a house for David. David is overwhelmed, and he responds in\nprayers of remarkable humility. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then King David went in and sat before the\nLord, and he said: \u201cWho am I, Sovereign Lord, and what is my family, that you\nhave brought me this far? . . . .And as if this were not\nenough in your sight, Sovereign Lord, you have also spoken about the future of\nthe house of your servant\u2014and this decree, Sovereign Lord, is for a mere\nhuman!  \u201c<\/sup>What more can David say to you? For you know your\nservant, Sovereign Lord.For the sake of your word and\naccording to your will, you have done this great thing and made it known to\nyour servant. \u2013  2 Samuel :18-21<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Three times in this prayer he speaks to the \u201cSovereign\nLord\u201d who has made known him will. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

At its core, biblical vision is synonymous with faith\nin God and his promises. God loves to manifest his presence and pour out his\nspirit with power on those who will dare to align their purposes radically with\nhim.[i]<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aligning his purposes to God\u2019s will and promises is exactly\nwhat David is doing in this prayer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Develops a Written Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Smaller things can be done spontaneously. In\ntruth, there is great benefit in being flexible and immediately responsive to\nthe Spirit\u2019s direction in our day-to-day lives. Large projects, however,\nrequire careful planning, and there is no necessary tension between laying\ncareful plans and following the Spirit\u2019s direction. The Holy Spirit who can\nguide us moment by moment can also guide us as we develop detailed, even\nwritten plans. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, David set about developing the plans for the temple.\nPraying and planning merged into a single process that he carried out under\ndirection of the Spirit of God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“All this is in writing,\u201d David said,\n\u201cbecause the hand of the Lord was upon me, and he gave me understanding in all\nthe details of the plan. \u2013 1 Chronicles 28:1<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Notice David\u2019s comment that the Lord gave him \u201cunderstanding.\u201d\nThis was not a case of falling into a trance-like state and merely recording\nwhat God was saying. As it had been from the beginning, David\u2019s mind was\nengaged, analyzing, evaluating, thinking carefully about every detail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David Gathers Resources for the Plan<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The last step for David was to gather resources\nfor the great project. 1 Chronicles 29 describes how David first pledged his\nown resources for construction of the temple. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The task is great, because this palatial\nstructure is not for man but for the Lord God. With all my resources I have\nprovided for the temple of my God. . . . in my devotion to the temple of my God\nI now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God.\n\u2013 1 Chronicles 29:1-2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, having set a personal example of commitment to the\nwork, David called on others to give generously as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the leaders of families, the officers of\nthe tribes of Israel, the commanders of thousands and commanders of hundreds,\nand the officials in charge of the king\u2019s work gave willingly. \u2013 1 Chronicles\n29:6<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In reality, David was still engaged in the planning process\neven at this stage. He was fulfilling the part of his plan that called for\nproviding resources for Solomon to carry out the work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

David\u2019s Planning Leads to Execution and Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This part of the account illustrates powerfully\nthat planning and execution are not entirely separate process. Planning, if it\nis to be worthwhile, must lead to work. Solomon upon becoming king, began the\nwork and carried it to completion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then Solomon began to build the temple of the\nLord in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah, where the Lord had appeared to his father\nDavid. . . .He began building on the second day of the second\nmonth in the fourth year of his reign. \u2013 2 Chronicles 3:1-2<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Pattern for Biblical Planning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I hope you have seen that although the term \u201cstrategic\nplanning\u201d is recent, the process is old. Sometimes Christian people object to\nthe idea of strategic planning because they feel it is \u201ccorporate\u201d or a modern\nmanagement \u201ctechnique.\u201d Neither of these are accurate evaluations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategic planning is a pattern of activity that is as old\nas human activity. As we have seen in this example from the greatest project of\nKing David\u2019s career, the process of planning not only can be consistent with\nGod\u2019s will, it is in fact the way godly leaders go about the process of fulfilling\nGod\u2019s will. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s summarize quickly what we can learn from David\u2019s\nvision to build a house for God. <\/p>\n\n\n\n