First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs - Dissertation Example

Melissa Mitseas Barnickel ENC 1102 6 December First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs and How It Achieves Its Goals The study focuses on establishing an understanding of the subculture that relates to the Presbyterian Church. It provides details on the strategic approach that the church employs in ensuring successful management of its objective as a church that is majorly to teach the word of God. This subculture has numerous items and traditions that they base their conduct on. One of which includes a special artifact, the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. This provides the language, behavior, and conduct source that all members of the church follow. The research aimed at answering the research question: What is the relationship between the subculture on the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs on meeting the objective of the church? The application of a literature review approach provides support to the study and hence its success. Introduction The Presbyterian Church is a church whose roots originate from the Protestant Christian denomination having started in the United States. The church has developed its standards based on the doctrines that govern its followers with an indication of respect for God almighty that they serve. The church relies heavily on the doctrines to educate the people. These have worked in successfully revealing the needs and lives of Christians in a moral approach. The church established in 1983 through a merger of two churches has survived over the years and slowly created its own space that it fills each time. The church has a grown membership that has seen over 1667767 members present in the book while 20383 represent the number ordained ministers (Summary of Statistics). Despite the decline in membership in the church, many other factors have influenced the need for the church to vigorously apply management skills and understand the aspects that will play a role in describing the ideal cloth. These form the basis of the research. The literature review below provides support on the application of strategic planning and other formal approaches in planning for the success of the church. Literature Review of Journal Articles on Strategic Planning in the Church The first article seeks to detail the approach that many churches seek to employ in their strategic planning process. The author provides an exploratory approach to detailing the application of strategic planning by the churches in bid to improve their business position. The business organizations have employed strategic planning in their operation as a means of controlling their operations with a plan that provides the sense of direction. The formal approach to ensuring organization success has evolved over the years and provided a more logical, calculated approach to the management of affairs of the company or organization leading to its success. Organizations have managed to shape their future through application of strategic planning as a means of ensuring continuity and progress. Strategic planning has influenced a more objective approach to managing the organizations hence improving chances of success, survival even in challenging financial situations among other abilities (Shah, David & Surawski, p.1). The church has evolved to become an institution of its own that requires its own leader and measures in place that ensure that the performance of each personnel involved is one that will lead t better chances of improvement to the church. Performance management will require the development of a system that recognizes the contribution of each employee and an evaluation of the performance resulting (Patricia). Performance measures will involve the development of appraisals that reveal the abilities of the different personnel. The Presbyterian Church has evolved and employed these different performance management measures to ensure that each employee obtains the best reward for a job well done. The study by Shah, David & Surawski employs a methodology based on a survey conducted to obtain responses on the topic. They aimed at gathering responses on the application of strategic planning, the process of growth of the church, growth of the attendance and aspects of ensuring a prospective approach in the management of the financial condition of the church (Shah, David & Surawski, p.4). The survey conducted provided feedback that indicated to the position of the church in applying strategic planning. According to the findings, those surveyed had over 87.5% indicated that their churches employed strategic planning approaches in the management of their organizations. The consideration of having a formal written plan was voted with a negative indication, which related that 50% had formal written plans while 50% did not. 87.5% of these churches had a mission statement that drives their strategic planning process while 12.5% did not. The presence of a long term planning committee in the church bestowed with the responsibility of ensuring success of the church in strategic planning process indicated that the church was more committed to ensuring the formal planning process was successful. In bid to obtain more data on the performance and application of strategic planning, details on the attendance to the church over a specified period of time emerged. These aimed at serving the research with a view of application of forecasts in the strategic planning process. Changes in membership were evaluated providing an understanding of the resulting development that details the position of the church. In seeking to understand the positions of each denomination in supporting this approach, each person was asked to state their denomination. 50.0% were from the Baptist church, followed by 12.5% from Presbyterian and non-denominational respectively (Shah, David & Surawski, p.5). The indications above provide a detailed understanding of the strategic planning process in the churches. It details the approach employed by the Presbyterian Church in the application of formal planning approaches in ensuring success of its activities. From the study, it is evident that the church employs strategic planning in the management of its affairs and attainment of its goals. Encouraging this in other churches will aid in building supporting blocks for the progress of the church and employing an objective approach in ensuring the church achieves its objectives. The second article provides an approach on the strategies for evangelism that the Richmond Korean Central Presbyterian Church employ to manage successfully its operations. The study starts with an intimate connection of Jesus’ works in the world and his message on the church to make disciples. Jesus commanded his people as he ascended to heaven to “therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the of the father and of the son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” These mark the words of Jesus that define the role of the church in the community today. The church is bestowed with the responsibility of raising faithful and teaching them the word of God hence ridding the world of non-believers and promoting an understanding of the Biblical teachings (Kim, p.11). The study details the journey of evangelism and its many difficulties with a provision of its influence on the church and the people. The image below provides an example of an evangelical journey of a believer The attachment provides an approach to evangelism as provided by Stetzer Evangelism Journey. The study by Kim employs a case study approach that factors in the aspects of evangelism strategy that the Richmond Korean Central Presbyterian Church has employed. These are achieved through a three step approach that relates to the establishment of a both a Biblical and Theoretical basis on which the work is done, the case study approach and lessons from the literature applied. The study employs an epistemological approach in detailing the research and meeting the research thesis. The study also employed a questionnaire approach in obtaining information on the approaches to evangelism that the Korean church seeks to employ. The study reveals the approaches that this Presbyterian Church has employed in its success journey over the years. It provides to the needs of the church that have become fulfilled with the approaches that the church has employed in its development. The approach that this church employs bases on three major strategies. These include conduct of G2 ministries that promote evangelism that educates the members on an eight-week basis in a year, the second approach employs small group ministries in reaching out to nonbelievers and third it focuses on the development of a healthy and good image of the church. These indicate to strategy that the Presbyterian Church has employed in conducting its works (Kim, p.53). Methodology: The study based on primary and secondary data collection means employing secondary data collection for sections in the literature review while providing primary data from interviews conducted at the Coral Springs Presbyterian Church. The interviews conducted were held with two respondents whose feedback provided an explained in the findings provides an understanding into the culture of the Presbyterian Church. As part of my approach, I wrote to Coral Springs church requesting permission to use my prayer observation service and fellowship in my English research project. The letter was aimed at obtaining access to the facility and permission to observe prayer at the church. Access to the church provided room for gathering primary data through observation of the conduct of the service and other parties involved in the prayers. An observation sample of 10 to 20 was desired with 2 to 3 occasion for the months of October and November. The study will conduct observation on general groups as a whole and conduct interviews with a few people that provide the interview responses. It is through these that I will learn how the Coral Springs Presbyterian Church achieves its goals and objectives. Findings from the Research Relating the approaches of other scholars to those obtained from the information gathered, the following was compiled. An interview with one of the church members revealed numerous factors that have come to focus in relation to the subculture of the Presbyterian Church. The first response provides on the aspect of culture’s rituals, rules, language and behavior. The respondent intimates that they were active members of the group before joining school at University of Central Florida. The member as part of the Presbyterian Church does not only support the use of strategic planning but wants to play a role in its application. They would specifically want to deal with the language aspect that is related as a vital element in the church. The subculture also promotes distanced perspective through which its operations involve weekly discussions. These educate the believers on the Bible and strengthen their approach to respecting the readings. These proceed despite drawbacks of outsiders thinking the discussions should involve issues of ethical concern such as pornography. These were sentiments provided by Senior Pastor Andrew Dinardo through an interview with him. The second interview was conducted between me and Jim a new member of the church. The respondent Jim asserts that one of the most vital symbols of this subculture is the Bible they use which is the New Revised Standard Version. The book provides a story on God and Jesus Christ and their history. These two are key figures in the subculture and hence the need to study them. Jim provides a more enthusiastic interview with his views on the church being a new member five months old. The church gives extracurricular events much focus, which stimulates development in those participating and the whole church. It provides room for interactions and sharing that grows relationships within the church in addition to the weekly group meetings. The interview was informative and educative giving more information on the church. Several items speak for the subculture. These range from the cultural conduct that one needs to understand as a member of the church. The specific Bible applied to the church supports the shaping of its goals and purpose. It provides behavioral control, values and beliefs that the Bible provides and hence need following from the congregation. The Presbyterian Church established the Bible below as a version they uphold (New Revised Standard Version). Many subcultures that fail to establish a symbol or the selection of a specific Bible find challenges in dealing with cohesiveness in their communication. The translations and interpretations of the Bibles differ and hence the need to select one for the group. Discussion Learning from the above research, one identifies the subculture and learns their vital symbols alongside the cultures relating to their behavior, values, language and conduct. Instilling these in the members of the church is the main objective of the Presbyterian Church. The church has developed a strategic approach to dealing with its development and management of resources. The approach has featured in the provision of service and development of programs that have instituted to the success of the church and the subculture at large. The traditions of this church are many and all aim at influencing interactions and sharing of the word of God. Sporting events and games bring different people together providing an entry into a successful development of the church. Weekly discussions support the influence and close study of its members leading to successful management of those involved in the church. The church bases on the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible as their symbol of connection. It comes across as the source of the language Presbyterian Church members speaks. The literature review reveals the relationship in objective and approach that all Presbyterian Churches employ as relating the Korean Presbyterian Church in the literature review and the Coral Presbyterian Church. The findings from the literature review relate closely with findings from the field that I conducted through interviews. The above provided sufficient information on the subject but still a lot needs doing to understand the Presbyterian Church fully. There exists more room for research on this subject. Conclusion The success of the Presbyterian Church in conducting its obligations in the world have revolved around the ability of the church to manage its roles through a strategic approach that supports a good planning process and the development of approaches that will influence success of the church in serving its purpose. These indicates to the works of the church in supporting the community and building a base of believers through a coordinated and formal approach to management of its resources and planning for its success. The church has supported these developments by ensuring it embraces planning and strategic approaches to managing its affairs. The development of a vision and mission are the starting points of these strategic developments and they have yielded a successful approach in reaching an objective developed in the planning phase in the church. The success of the Presbyterian Church is entirely an effort that successfully depends on the organization of its resources. The church has developed schedules through which it enforces its laws and hence leading to the achievement of the goals. Works Cited (MLA) Kim, Tae, Kon. A Study of Effective Strategies for Evangelism Applied to Richmond Korean Central Presbyterian Church. Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary. Viewed on December 07, 2015 from http://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1331&context=doctoral 2010. Patricia, Do you have a Strategic Approach to Goal Achievement? Smart Church Management. Viewed on December 5, 2015 from http://smartchurchmanagement.com/strategic-approach-to-goal-achievement/ Shah, Amit., David, Fred & Surawski, Zigmont. Does Strategic Planning Help Churches?: An Exploratory Study. Church Paper Coastal Business Journal 2. Viewed on December 07, 2015 from https://www.coastal.edu/business/cbj/pdfs/articles/Shah-Churchpaper.pdf 2003. Summary of Statistics: Comparative Summaries. Viewed on December 05, 2015 from http://www.pcusa.org/site_media/media/uploads/oga/pdf/2013_comparative_summaries_.pdf Read More