Book Report



Book Review of Mulphur's Advanced Strategic Planning

Introduction

The book 'Advanced Strategic Planning' is the remarkable creation of Aubrey Malphurs who is the professor of pastoral ministries at Dallas Theological Seminary and the president of Malphurs Group. The author served many years as the pastor and church planter. This experience has enlightened him with the personal experience of function of the local church as well as being an educator, he has distinctive capacities to teach the process and course of strategic planning and leadership. In short, it can be said that the masterpiece work of author in shape of his book 'advanced strategic planning' is an exclusive source which took around years of personal knowledge and expertise pertinent to the diagnosis of church and the issues it faces. Malphurs has authored more than dozens of books. The prime purpose of this book is to expound the significance of strategic planning that holds the immense significance in carrying out the missions of church. The book effectively offers the nine step strategic thinking and acting model to readers, useful ideas for strategy formulation, numerous diagrams to elucidate the concepts more clearly, accentuates greatly over the disciple making, and facilitates churches to articulate and implement its visions and missions.

The study intends to present the review of the book 'advanced strategic and planning' indicating the purpose of author behind writing his influential piece of information along with its special features. The paper also attempts to indicate the strengths and weaknesses of the book along with the identification of audience who would be benefitted from the information and knowledge presented in the book.

Discussion

The author has indicated in the book that the appropriate strategic planning is considered as the core essence for conducting anything however, it can be wearisome and a time consuming process but still it holds thousands of goodness and benefits. Therefore, the prime objective of Malphur's book is to make the process of strategic planning simple and trouble free. In order to make this complex process understand, the book has attempted to expound the process through the illustration of different curve which try to trace the beginning, growth, and the death of the biological mechanisms of organizations and churches. This curve is termed as the Sigmoid Curve. However, this explanation Malphurs endeavored to expound the importance of introduction of the new S curve which actually signifies the strategic planning. The incorporation of this new curve in to the system ensures the sustainability and the existence of the organization or the church.

The advanced strategic planning has been categorized in to the three distinctive sections and each of the section holds the immense significance in understanding the concept of strategic planning in the sustainability and functioning of the churches. The section one of the book attempts to clarify the necessary preparation for the maximization of planning process. It identified the core and basic purpose of conducting the strategic planning through defining the three basic questions that include who we are, where we ...