Jesus and Operational Planning?? Huh? Is this some kind of weird oxymoron? Let me explain . . .
Operations can be used as a word to described various administrative and functional tasks.
When I describe the role of operations and how we need many more full time missionaries to devote to operations jobs, people sometimes roll their eyes and think “that’s not real ministry.” Dealing with numbers, planning logistics, expanding communications capability, handling repetitive financial tasks, tracking health care benefits, providing back end technology support and on and on. It can sound very boring. And often times it is overlooked.
The conference I attended in Africa last fall focused entirely on operational planning functions in ministry. 100% of the missionaries who attended – representing over 25 different countries – all serve full time in operations roles. See my slideshow from the conference here.
Operations is all about ministry. Ministry and operations are intrinsically linked.
Jesus cared about operations. A careful examination of the gospels shows an incredible amount of detail went in to carrying out Jesus’ work. No doubt He strived to impart his love for people AND his methods for serving people to his disciples. His heart was to serve and not to be served. So I can surmise that the Master did share the details of His plans for serving others. He must have cared about operations.
If Jesus did not care about operations, then why did He? . . .
- Choose fishermen and a tax collector to be his disciples? Men who were very “get it done” type of people. Men who thought, lived, slept and breathed the language of business of the day. Men who constantly grappled with the bottom line. They knew how to run a tight ship (literally).
- Have the 5000 and 4000 crowds organize themselves into groups to sit down and experience a miracle? Not to mention the “distribution plan” he put into action by telling the disciples “you yourselves give them something to eat.”
- Care about His transportation plan on His entry into Jerusalem? He sent disciples to retrieve a donkey – causing them to invest valuable time when they only had a few more hours with Him on earth.
- Give orders for the disciples to make detailed preparations for the passover meal? Details that could have seemed trivial to a leader of his stature.
- Direct the apostle Paul – via the Holy Spirit – to invest much time and energy in crafting detailed letters of instructions to early church leaders? Letters which have laid a foundation for church growth for centuries.
Planning, financial systems, transportation, logistics, communications – even using the technology of the day (papyrus letters) – all of these were put into practice by Jesus and the disciples. Certainly, He loved people more than the methods or plan, but He did have quite a plan for serving others.
Just some thoughts.