Is Organizational Goal-Setting Biblical?
Here’s a situation all church leaders experience: you’ve answered the spiritual call to lead, but you’re also managing an organization. It’s not always easy to find balance between leading in God’s name while managing staff, finances, and programs.
At Clarity House, we help church leaders strike this balance. We help clarify what’s unique to their church and their city, so they can lead with a shared picture of the future that integrates discipleship, leadership, and mission.
Sometimes in this process, we hear questions like these: Is organizational goal-setting biblical? What about the dangers of focusing on works rather than faith? Shouldn’t we be focused on spirituality?
The truth is, goal-oriented action is woven throughout Scripture. Instead of thinking of goal-setting as a secular, achievement-oriented pursuit, we can turn to what the Bible teaches us about faith-based action.
“Goal setting is responding in faith to what you have heard God say, and intentionalizing your actions in that direction.” – Shane Stacey
Reframing Goal Setting from a Gospel-Centered Place
Consider Paul’s letter to Titus in Crete:
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.
Paul reframes goal setting in the context of a non-goal-setting, lawless environment (Crete). He points out that because of the gospel, Christians are positioned to be highly productive because we’re not motivated by ungodly ambition, but instead are zealous for good works.
The gospel frees us from the performative nature of goal-setting. It returns us to our relationship with God, responding to what we hear from Him. While we stay vigilant for our “blessed hope” we also live in “this present age,” and this present age has practicalities, opportunities, and challenges that can be addressed with goal-setting.
Throughout Scripture, we see examples of Jesus turning to prayer before a major shift that moves His ministry forward. Even the Great Commission itself is breaking down a big dream—disciple making—into smaller parts and mini-goals to make progress (Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth; Acts 1:8). You see that mindset all throughout Jesus’s life and Scripture.
Uniting the Strategic and the Spiritual
Jesus unites the strategic and the spiritual. He brings together prayer and goals. Goal-setting doesn’t seem biblical when the goal is placed above what God is saying. By listening to God first, and then responding with faith-centered action, the pursuit of strategic goals keeps God at the center.
When church leaders have setbacks or face unforeseen events, we sometimes see them get discouraged about the process of goal setting. Setbacks and changes are part of the process. It’s a reminder to turn an ear up to God, and pivot to what God is saying by making adjustments. During times of uncertainty or change, you can simply ask yourself: “Is this God-centered? Am I listening to the Lord?” as a checkpoint. Even if goals change dramatically, you can maintain the clarity of focus on mission.
“Goal setting is a strategic confession of faith.” – Dave Rhodes
A final lesson we can take from Jesus. In the book of Luke, in chapter nine, we see Jesus with His “face set like a flint toward Jerusalem.” While the Samaritans wanted to pull Jesus in a different direction, yet Jesus stayed focused on His goal.
What they could not see is that the most loving thing He could do for them was to not be detoured from His Spirit-directed goal. His motivation, focus, and response were all anchored in love.
At Clarity House, we specialize in guiding church teams in articulating a shared vision coupled with disciple-making clarity. We’d love to help you and your team. If you want us to assess your current mission statement, feel free to set up a free conversation with our team.