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We are going to look at developing a SWOT analysis. What is a SWOT analysis?
Strengths
Weaknesses
Opportunities
Threats
The purpose of this SWOT is to be used as a guide for us to help direct us into the right direction for change. I once heard someone say, Change is inevitable, but growth is optional! If we have been looking for growth and increase and have not been seeing any results than its time to LOOK at what we are doing and CHANGE what we are doing! If we keep doing what we have done, we will keep getting what we have.Change is good. Change is uncomfortable and takes used to adjusting to it, but it is good.
The key to change is to let go of fear.
Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending. Maria Robinson quotes
There is nothing wrong with change, if it is in the right direction
Winston Churchill quotes
If we don't create change, change will create us
So in order for us to Change we need to find out what needs to change, what needs attention, what needs care, what needs adjustments and what is our SWOT. While putting this together we need to be realistic about our strengths and weaknesses of our church. If we never acknowledge the weaknesses and threats than how can we ever strengthen them and prepare for a strategy against them. The SWOT analysis should help us distinguish between:
Where we are today. Where we want to be in the future. Be specific about your SWOT. Keep it short and simple Avoid complexity and over analyzing. The Strengths and Weaknesses are dealing with internal factors. The Strengths are your Positive Points. The Weaknesses are your Negative Points. These are things that are effected and controlled by what happens internally in your staff and organization. The Opportunities and Threats are dealing with the external factors. The Opportunities are your Positive Points. The Threats are your Negative Points. These are things that happen from the outside and effect us internally. When writing your specific goals, remember the following:
- Build on your strengths.
- Shore up your weaknesses.
- Capitalize on your opportunities.
- Recognize your threats.
List of SWOT Questions
Strengths
What is golden about your Church?
What do you do well (in ministry, in service, in marketing, operations, and management)?
What are your assets?
What are your core competencies?
What experience do you have?
Weaknesses
What looks a bit rusty inside your Church?
What do you need (customer service, marketing, accounting, planning)?
Where do you lack resources?
What can you do better?
Where are you loosing money?
Opportunities
Where is the blue sky in your environment?
What new needs of your congregation could you meet?
What are the economic trends that benefit you?
What community involvement can you get involved in?
What are the technological breakthroughs to help you reach your community?
Threats
Where are the red alerts in your environment?
What are the negative economic trends?
What are the negative political and social trends?
What poses a threat in stopping you to reach your community?
What is holding you back from exploding in growth?
Where are you vulnerable?
Dr. Dean Ratke
Weaknesses + Threats = Opportunities if dealt with.
If not dealt with your weaknesses and threats will = major mistakes and possible failures.
Take some time to put down a SWOT of your Church.
Your external and internal assessments are summarized in the SWOT matrix below to help you visualize the analysis. When an organization matches internal strengths to external opportunities, it creates core competencies in meeting the needs of its clients. In addition, the company should act to convert internal weaknesses into strengths and external threats into opportunities.
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