By Rick Souza, Director of Sustainable Solutions Department

 

That is a very good question. As a matter of fact, I often find it difficult to provide an adequate answer to ministry leaders who ask that question. It is so basic and yet so often misunderstood when it comes to ministry, and I'm not sure why.

                

In the mid-1980s, prior to entering the ministry, I was a vice president with a very large savings and loan company. I participated in a Masters program at the University of Pepperdine. The major was Organizational Development. Organizational Strategies and Planning. Secular organizations wanted to be more profitable, so they needed an effective strategic plan. It makes sense to me; the bottom line matters.

                

Strategic Planning in Brazil

When I entered the ministry, I was astounded at how strategic planning was often overlooked or totally ignored. It made no sense to "wait for the crisis to plan." Yet that's how many churches and ministries operate. The most important thing we can do as Christian leaders is to seek the Holy Spirit, and then effectively plan according to His direction.

                

The bottom line counts for us, too. Changed lives, salvation and hope are what we offer  those who have lost hope, those whom the world has given up on. There is salvation and life through Christ, and Christ alone. We should be excellent in all we do as we represent Him through our ministry.  

 

Under the leadership of Dr. Jerry Nance, Global Teen Challenge has operated under a Strategic Plan, developed in 2008, which guides our direction. It is a 5-point strategy:

               1.            Provide training through multiple delivery systems.

               2.            Develop communication tools.

               3.            Assist with sustainable funding solutions.

               4.            Promote Teen Challenge Standards of Operation.

               5.            Consult for New Program Development.

                

The leadership of GTC is constantly evaluating the success of our strategies and modifying as needed, but we are on target, we understand where we are going and how

Strategic Planning in Siberia

we will get there.

                

Strategic Planning has taken hold in many countries. In the recent past, we have assisted with workshops in Cuba, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Siberia and Canada, as well as throughout the United States. Soon we will be assisting leaders in developing strategic plans in Lithuania, Ukraine and Central Asia.

                

We ask three basic questions when we begin our strategic planning sessions:  

(See diagram below) 

Funding is always a critical element in any TC center and ministry. Number 3 of our Strategic Plan is to "Assist with sustainable funding solutions." This is a critical element in the strategic planning process. The need is identified, strategies are developed, and an action plan is implemented. The action plan addresses

Click to download image.

these points:

1.            Identify the need.

2.            What is the strategy? 

3.            Who will be responsible?

4.            When will it start?

5.            Where will it take place?

6.            How will it be accomplished?

7.            What will it cost?

8.            Who will do the follow-up?

9.            How will it be evaluated?

               

We will be glad to assist you in this process. Understand, it is not an event, but a process that will help you take your ministry to the next level. The leaders of GTC encourage you to take advantage of this assistance to further develop your ministry.

               

Our mission is to assist in the development and implementation of TC centers worldwide. Building your ministry on the firm foundation of strategic planning is the place to begin.

 

If you would like to discuss strategic planning or other issues related to sustaining your ministry, you can contact Rick Souza at:  email:  rlsouza@softcom.net or phone:  1-209-993-7597  

 

 

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Sustain Hope assisting in Honduras and  Siberia
report from Bob and LeAnn Bachman

 

Honduras project

We are pleased to continue to partner with Global Teen Challenge in assisting to develop sustainability projects. LeAnn and I visited Honduras in November of 2012 and worked with their leaders to explore many possibilities of projects. We returned in May to work with them on finalizing the projects that they would like to develop. They are raising tilapia fish, raising 1,000 laying hens to sell eggs to a local church, and to raise feeder pigs. Duane Henders and Bill Strickland are now working to raise "seed" money to help launch these projects.

 

Siberia evaluation

We also spent almost 3 weeks at the Novokuznetsk, Siberia Teen Challenge in June to partner with Rick Souza in training and to do some assessing and recommending sustainable projects. We visited 4 centers and recommended many projects---such as: cemetery wrought iron fencing, auto body and painting, raising steers and feeder pigs, gardening, greenhouse, cleaning houses, etc.

 

We look forward to assisting many more ministries in helping to find ways to enable them to become more self-sustaining. 

If you would like to have someone from Sustain Hope visit your center and help you assess opportunities for sustainable projects for your ministry, you can contact us directly at: info@sustainhope.org or you can contact Global Teen Challenge at gtc@globaltc.org 

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We want to take this opportunity to announce the addition of a
Diane Swanson to the staff of the GTC Training Department. She will be focusing on women and children issues as well as the development of Women's and Children's TC centers.   

Diane is a registered nurse and an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God.  She comes to us from Teen Challenge of Arizona where she was the founding director of  TC Home of Hope Women and Children's center for ten years. We are excited about the addition of Diane.   

She is raising her support for the next few months and hopes to be on site early next year. 

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Brice Maddock the new GTC Regional Director for Eurasia

Brice Maddock has been selected as the new Global Teen Challenge Regional Director of Eurasia. For the past several years the Maddocks have served as Global Teen Challenge Representatives for India and Southern Asia where they partnered with leaders from these nations to start new Teen Challenge initiatives in India and Nepal.

Brice succeeds Kevin Tyler who served in that capacity since 2005. Kevin now serves as the Chief Operating Officer for Global Teen Challenge. 

Stretching nearly 10,000 miles and 13 time zones, Eurasia is home to nearly 2 billion inhabitants. This region includes the greatest landmass, the largest population and the most unreached people groups in the world. Despite the complexities and immense challenges facing this region, the opportunities are incredible.  

Left to Right: Rachel, Jaylyn, Joshua, Brice, Hannah

Teen Challenge centers are springing up across Eurasia, bringing light to areas that are shrouded in the darkness of substance abuse. Even areas that are resistant to a gospel presence, welcome this ministry and its effectiveness in breaking the chains of addiction. Furthermore, Teen Challenge is being strategically used to create a platform for church planting among unreached people groups in the region.

In assessing this new ministry opportunity, Brice states, "Our primary goal is to assist in developing new, grass-roots initiatives within the region, while identifying and mentoring local leaders to guide and grow these initiatives through indigenous principles. Our heart is to witness true community transformation as the Gospel is communicated creatively, holistically, and powerfully to some of the most impoverished and unreached peoples on the planet. Our future plans include increased focus on the 20 countries without a Teen Challenge presence and to continue efforts to develop effective models of multiplication and long-term sustainability."

The Maddocks began their journey with Teen Challenge in the USA nearly 20 years ago where, as young college students, they began volunteering at a local center and got hooked. After the Maddocks graduated from college, they spent the next 5 years helping to pioneer and develop an adolescent program, which continues to help young men struggling with addictions to this day. Although their stateside experience was fulfilling, in 2007 their desire to reach the "least-reached" compelled them to Southern Asia, where they worked at raising up new Teen Challenge initiatives utilizing local leaders.

Along with their years of practical Teen Challenge experience, Brice and Jaylyn hold master's degrees and both are ordained/licensed Assemblies of God ministers, serving with AGWM since 2006. The Maddocks are proud parents of three wonderful children (Rachel, Hannah and Joshua).

The mission of Global Teen Challenge is to assist in the development and implementation of Teen Challenge programs around the world.  Today there are more than 1,000 Teen Challenge programs in 94 countries of the world. It is our desire to provide the best and latest tools available in helping individuals with life controlling addictions.  According to the United Nations, more than 200 million people worldwide struggle with drug abuse. Drug users are getting younger and their use is becoming more frequent. Alcohol and drug addictions are plaguing our nations, our cities and invading our homes. We are committed to doing everything we can to reach people around the globe with life controlling problems. For more information on Global Teen Challenge, visit our website at www.GlobalTC.org