Church Strategic Planning
Strategic planning that doesn't end up in a drawer. We help you move from scattered ideas to a focused strategy your whole team believes in and actually uses.
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Wayfinding: Strategic Planning Built for Ministry.
You've got a sense of where your church is heading, but the day-to-day demands of ministry make creating a clear plan feel impossible. Without one, good intentions lack a system to track progress, and key staff have different ideas about where you're headed.
We don't deliver 50-page strategy documents that sit on a shelf. Our Wayfinding process is rooted in spiritual discernment, not corporate frameworks. It delivers a focused, prayerful, and actionable roadmap your team can actually follow.
Together, we'll build the foundations and frameworks your church needs to accomplish its mission.
- Clarity over Chaos: Identify 4-6 strategic priorities. Not everything, just what matters most.
- Accountability Built-in: Turn vision into seasonal goals with assigned ownership and tracking.
- Discernment-First: The process begins in prayer, not simply in business methodology.
What you get
The Wayfinding Deliverables
We believe in transparency and certainty. This is exactly what is included in the Wayfinding Strategic Planning engagement:
1½ Day Planning Retreat
Full facilitation with your leadership team (6-10 leaders) to define your 10-Year Future, 3-Year Vision, and 1-Year Outlook.
Five Lenses Evaluation
A systematic assessment of your church across five key dimensions: Congregation, Community, Leadership, Operations, and Learning.
Strategic Roadmap
A digital document detailing all Wayfinding content, specifically your church's 3-Year Vision and vision outcomes.
Vision Matrix
A powerful visual tool that maps your church's priorities across time, teams, and seasons.
CORE Dashboard Access
Access to the Clearway CORE app to track seasonal goals, manage action items, and maintain alignment and accountability throughout the year.
Custom 1-Year Action Plan
Clear seasonal goals, assigned owners, and specific metrics to track immediate next steps that fit the real rhythms of ministry life.
The Wayfinding Process
How it works
Discover
Conversations with staff, board, and ministry leaders. Maybe focus groups or cohorts from your church. We learn what you're celebrating and how you want to measure success in the future.
Dream
We begin exploring what might be possible. Together we start building the 10-year future, imagining what God might do through your church.
Discern
We facilitate conversations for a shared sense of what's essential and what's a distraction. The goal is consensus on overall direction.
Decide
Time for your church's leaders to make determinations. What you're going to do versus what you're not going to do. Clear yeses and clear nos.
Define
Name specific outcomes you believe will indicate successfully achieving what God has called your church to move toward. Tracked through tools like the Vision Matrix and CORE.
What Wayfinding Delivers
Planning outcomes
See the future clearly
Imagine your church's 10-year future, then define a 3-year vision and 1-year outlook your team can confidently move toward.
Focus on what matters
Identify 4-6 strategic priorities that will shape your church's next three years. Not everything, just the most important things.
Build real accountability
Turn long-term vision into seasonal goals, weekly actions, and assigned ownership. All tracked in the Clearway CORE dashboard.
Align your whole team
Get staff, board, and volunteers on the same page about where you're going and how you'll get there.
Honor your calling
A process rooted in prayer and discernment, not just corporate methodology. Strategy that serves your mission.
Growing a church is exciting.
Multiplication is hard.
Clearway helps pastors and church teams build foundations and frameworks for sustained, healthy growth.
START COACHING"Chris has been a collaborative clarifier for our staff team. His thoughtful curiosity brought the best out of us as we considered vision and strategy, positioning our church for mission engagement with greater focus and intentionality."
Common Questions
Strategic planning FAQ
How long does the Wayfinding process take?
A typical engagement spans 3-6 months, including discovery conversations, facilitated sessions, and plan documentation. The timeline depends on your church size, complexity, and how quickly you can gather stakeholder input.
How is this different from other strategic planning?
Wayfinding is built for churches, not businesses. We begin with prayer and discernment, not SWOT analyses. The process honors your calling while creating practical accountability. And we focus on 4-6 priorities, not 50-page documents no one reads.
Who needs to be involved?
At minimum: senior pastor, key staff, and board representation. Many churches also include ministry leaders, volunteer leaders, or congregation focus groups during the Discovery phase. We'll help you decide who should be at the table.
What do we actually get at the end?
A clear 3-year vision with 4-6 strategic priorities, plus a 1-year action plan with specific goals, owners, and metrics. You'll also have access to our CORE dashboard to track progress and maintain accountability throughout the year.
How much does church strategic planning cost?
Investment varies based on church size, complexity, and the scope of engagement. We offer flexible options tailored to your budget and needs. Reach out and we'll discuss your situation and provide specific guidance.
How do we ensure the plan doesn't end up on a shelf?
Accountability is built into the Wayfinding process. The plan is translated directly into seasonal goals and tracked on the Clearway CORE dashboard, ensuring immediate application. We also offer optional, ongoing leadership coaching to help your team maintain focus, adjust to change, and execute the plan over the long term.
1:1 Coaching
Monthly coaching for lead pastors, executive pastors, and board chairs who need a thinking partner.
Team Workshops
Facilitated sessions that surface tensions, build trust, and get everyone moving in the same direction.
360 Reviews
See what you can't see. Multi-rater feedback with a debrief and action plan to grow where it matters most.
Fractional Leadership
For growing churches who need executive leadership but aren't ready for the full-time cost.