Holistic Ministry Development Approach
HOLISTIC MINISTRY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH
In developing holistic ministries, LPAC aims to:
| Assist faith-based organizations and community-based organizations in developing holistic ministries. |
Toward this end, we employ the holistic ministry development strategy:
a. Holistic Continuum of Ministry Development
In developing Holistic Ministries, LPAC guides faith-based and community-based organizations through our Holistic Continuum of Ministry Development™, a three-phase developmental process based on our Four Principles of Holistic Ministry™.
By advancing through the Holistic Continuum of Ministry Development™, institutions become places of refuge, renewal, and regeneration.
ª Refuge-level Institutions address the basic needs of service recipients.
ª Renewal-level Institutions engage service recipients in their own learning, and connect with external community resources.
ª Regeneration-level Institutions engage service recipients as servant leaders; involve board members, staff members, and volunteers in the organizational leadership and decision-making systems; and establish collaborations and partnerships with external organizations.
Each institutional level builds on the previous level(s); subsequently, the institutions enhance their ability to meet the actual and anticipated needs of the people and institutions they serve. Ultimately, they develop a greater sense of their institutional self, and serve as a resource to their peer organizations and communities. They also work with other faith-based and community-based organizations to strengthen the Four Pillars of Community Life™.
As faith-based and community-based organizations advance through our Holistic Continuum of Ministry Development™, LPAC focuses on our Five Dimensions of Ministry Development™. These dimensions are capacity building areas that enable institutions to:
ª Operate holistic ministries that develop holistic servant leaders;
ª Administer their systems and structures consistent with their mission and strategy;
ª Engage community members in community development efforts;
ª Involve board, staff, and volunteers in all aspects of organizational leadership and decision-making; and
ª Secure ample human, physical, and financial resources in support of their holistic mission and vision.
As institutions become more purposeful about their growth and development, they address more of these dimensions—even though we do not expect every dimension to operate simultaneously at optimal levels.
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Holistic Ministry Operations |
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Holistic Ministry Operations deals with child, youth, and adult servant leadership. Institutions involve children, youth, and adults in leadership and service roles within the organization, school, and community. This includes program design; program implementation; program monitoring; and program evaluation. Ultimately, institutions will develop programs that ensure successful service delivery and replication. They will prepare children, youth, and adults to assume leadership and service roles at home, school, and community. They also will engage in ongoing program reviews, involving staff, volunteers, and participants in data collection and analysis. Moreover, they will engage staff, volunteers, and participants in evaluating and improving our programs and services. |
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Organizational Development |
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Organizational Development deals with infrastructure and systems. Institutions develop and maintain fully operational infrastructure and systems. This includes board membership and governance; formal systems, namely administration, facilities management, finance, human resources, reception and hospitality, resource management, etc.; policies and procedures; fiscal controls; communications; and non-profit incorporation. Ultimately, institutions will have an optimal number of board members who are able to engage in governance. They will have fully operational formal systems, policies and procedures, fiscal controls, and communications strategy. They also will have their non-profit incorporation and tax-exempt status. |
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Community Engagement |
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Community Engagement deals with community partnerships & collaborations. Institutions engage community members in needs assessments, asset mapping, and improvement projects. This includes community assessments; community asset mapping; community involvement in decision-making; and collaborations and partnerships. Ultimately, institutions will involve community in data collection and analysis, including program redesigns and delivery. They will involve community in mapping and analysis, as well as community relations. They also will increase the decision-making role of community. Moreover, they will support collaborations and partnerships that work around social impact issues and leverage significant community resources. |
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Leadership Development |
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Leadership Development deals with board, staff, and volunteer development. Institutions engage board members, staff, and volunteers in institutional operations. This includes formal board, staff, and volunteer training; board, staff, and volunteer leadership actualization; and succession of the highest ranking staff members. Ultimately, institutions will have a formal training program for board, staff, and volunteers, and for board, staff, and volunteers to serve in a leadership role. They also will prepare for a smooth transition in the event of the departure of key staff members. |
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Fund Development |
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Fund Development deals with securing diverse and sustainable funding. Institutions establish a fully diverse and sustainable funding pool. This includes diversification of funding sources; financial sustainability; and donor engagement. Ultimately, institutions will have a fully diverse funding base. They will engage in long-term financial forecasting. They also will fully engage their donors in organizational matters, and programs and activities. |
c. Ministry Development Matrix™
To gauge the development of faith-based and community-based organizations, we utilize our Ministry Development Matrix™, which measures how institutions advance through the Holistic Continuum of Ministry Development™ (Horizontal) with respect to the Five Dimensions of Ministry Development™ (Vertical). The Ministry Development Matrix™ enables staff members to track the capacity of partnering organizations to address the needs of their target populations and communities. Staff members can see at a glance how the partners are advancing through institutional levels, as well as the areas they can encourage partners to undertake. The partners themselves can see their own advancement, which inspires them to build on their existing institutional capacity.
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Institutional Development Area |
Refuge-level Ministry |
Renewal-level Ministry |
Regeneration-level Ministry |
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Holistic Ministry Operations (Programs) |
ª Program Designs lack systemic approach |
ª Program Designs expand program delivery |
ª Program Designs ensure successful program delivery and replication |
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ª Program implementation focuses on developing participants’ knowledge and skills |
ª Program Implementation focuses on participants sharing knowledge and skills within organization |
ª Program Implementation focuses on participants assuming leadership and service roles at home, school, and community | |
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ª Program Monitoring takes place informally, and involves little data collection and analysis |
ª Program Monitoring at least monthly by managerial staff, and involves periodic data collection and analysis |
ª Program Monitoring at least monthly by program staff and participants, and involves ongoing data collection & analysis | |
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ª Program Evaluation happens informally, if ever |
ª Program Evaluation takes place semi-annually or annually, and engages program staff |
ª Program Evaluation takes place quarterly, and engages staff, volunteers, and participants | |
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Community Engagement |
ª Community Assessment informal if any, with no community input |
ª Community Assessment includes input from community members, such as surveys |
ª Cmty Assessment involves cmty in data collection & analysis, & shapes program design and delivery |
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ª Community Asset Mapping informal if any, with no community input |
ª Cmty Asset Mapping includes input from community members, such as surveys |
ª Cmty Asset Mapping involves community in mapping & analysis, and shapes cmty participation | |
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ª Community Participation highest in basic participation, and lowest in decision-making |
ª Community Participation average in basic participation, and average in decision-making |
ª Community Participation lowest in basic participation, and highest in decision-making | |
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ª Collaborations/ Partnerships do not formally exist |
ª Collaborations/ Partnerships established around community needs, and yield some concrete results |
ª Collaborations/ Partnerships established around social impact issues, yield major results, and leverage significant resources | |
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Organizational Development |
ª Board has under 5 members, & is not involved in Governance |
ª Board has 5-8 members, & is somewhat involved in Governance |
ª Board has 9-15 members, & is fully involved in Governance |
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ª Formal Systems not operational |
ª Formal Systems somewhat operational |
ª Formal Systems fully operational | |
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ª Policies & Procedures not operational |
ª Policies & Procedures somewhat operational |
ª Policies & Procedures fully operational | |
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ª Fiscal Controls not operational |
ª Fiscal Controls somewhat operational |
ª Fiscal Controls fully operational | |
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ª Communications Strategy not operational |
ª Communications Strategy somewhat operational |
ª Communications Strategy fully operational | |
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ª Non-Profit Incorporation not in place |
ª Non-Profit Incorporation in process |
ª Non-Profit Incorporation in place | |
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Leadership Development |
ª Board offers basic orientation, and has little to no defined leadership roles |
ª Board offers personal & group training, and several serve in formal leadership roles |
ª Board has a formal training program, and everyone serves in a leadership role |
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ª Volunteers receive little to no formal training, and have little to no defined leadership roles |
ª Volunteers receive personal & group training, and several are involved in formal leadership roles |
ª Volunteers run & participate in formal training program, and are fully involved in formal leadership roles | |
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ª Staff receive little to no formal training, and has little to no defined leadership roles |
ª Staff receive personal & group training, and several are involved in formal leadership roles |
ª Staff run & participate in formal training program, and is fully involved in formal leadership roles | |
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ª Succession plan does not exist or is an idea |
ª Succession plan has at least 2 people selected by highest ranking staff |
ª Succession plan has at least 2 people shadowing highest ranking staff | |
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Fund Development |
ª Funding Sources are mainly informal and in-kind contributions |
ª Funding Sources are somewhat diverse, including government and foundations |
ª Funding Sources are fully diverse, including government, foundations, individual donors, fee-for-service, rentals, etc. |
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ª Financial Sustainability forecasted for less than 1 year |
ª Financial Sustainability forecasted for 2-3 years |
ª Financial Sustainability forecasted for 4+ years | |
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ª No Donors cultivated |
ª Some Donors engaged in organizational matters and activities |
ª Most or all Donors fully engaged in organizational matters and activities |
Click here for our Holistic Ministry Development Strategy.
Click here for our Holistic Servant Leadership Development Approach,
Click here for our Holistic Servant Leadership Development Strategy.