Strategic Direction & Execution Plan

Strategic Direction & Execution Plan
Aligning mission, priorities, resources, and execution strategy for the next 3-36 months.
Presenter: Luke Tipple, Executive Director
Meeting Objectives
By the conclusion of this meeting, we should have clear, actionable alignment on the following areas:
Core Mission
Confirm and ratify the organizational mission statement
Priorities
Establish ranked organizational priorities across all initiatives
Resources
Define resource allocation across Digital, Community, and Events pillars
Festival Authority
Grant execution authority for festival producer outreach and planning
Christ Works
Approve Phase 2 investment strategy and church rollout plan
First Thursdays
Finalize operating model and local coordinator hiring
Objective: Move from vision discussions to an executable operating plan with clear decision authority.
Legacy & Sustainability
Building Something That Outlives Us
The goal of Christ Strong is not simply to fund events or build programs. The goal is to create a lasting ministry platform that continues strengthening churches, connecting believers, and sharing the Gospel long after the founders are no longer actively involved.
Key Question
When future generations look back at Christ Strong, what will remain? Programs come and go. Events come and go. A lasting ministry infrastructure can continue serving people for decades.
Institutional Legacy
Clear mission and governance
Leadership succession planning
Sustainable operating structure
Church Legacy
Hundreds of church partnerships
Ongoing ministry collaboration
Long-term community impact
Digital Legacy
Christ Works platform serving churches nationwide
Measurable ministry engagement
Scalable tools that continue to grow
Generational Legacy
A model that can impact future generations
Resources that continue serving families and communities
A ministry that extends beyond any individual leader
Proposed Christ Strong Mission
Strengthen churches, connect believers, and create opportunities for people to encounter Christ and Glorify the name of Jesus through technology, community, and events.
This mission statement anchors all organizational activity across our three strategic pillars. Every initiative, investment, and partnership should be evaluated against these five supporting objectives:
1
Support Local Churches
Provide tools and platforms that enhance local church ministry effectiveness
2
Increase Engagement
Deepen Christian community participation at local and regional levels
3
Scalable Ministry Tools
Build technology and programs that grow in impact without proportional cost increases
4
Reach New Believers
Create accessible entry points for spiritual discovery and first-time engagement
5
Sustainable Legacy
Build institutional systems that sustain impact beyond the founders' lifetime
Strategic Framework
Three Pillars of Ministry
All Christ Strong initiatives are organized under three strategic pillars. New opportunities should clearly support one of these pillars before receiving organizational resources or leadership attention.
PILLAR 1 — Digital Ministry
Christ Works
Equip churches and believers through technology. Provide scalable digital tools for community engagement, prayer, Bible study, and volunteer coordination.
PILLAR 2 — Community Gatherings
First Thursdays
Create recurring local Christian community experiences for young adults and college-age attendees, generating consistent ministry touchpoints every month.
PILLAR 3 — Signature Events
Christ Strong Festival
Create large-scale public expressions of faith and community through an annual flagship festival demonstrating worship, service, and outreach.
All future initiatives should support one of these three pillars or be formally evaluated as a standalone strategic addition.
Communications
Audience & Communications Strategy
Build a growing audience that can be activated across all Christ Strong initiatives.
Channels
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok (short-form distribution)
Email Newsletter
Website
Content Categories
Faith & Inspiration
Church Spotlights
Christ Works Updates
Festival Development Journey
First Thursdays Promotion
Testimonies
Ministry Partner Highlights
Initial Strategy
Curated reposts from trusted Christian voices
Original commentary and reflections
Inspirational posts
Short-form video clips
Founder perspectives
Event and ministry updates
Long-Term Strategy
Original video content
Interviews
Podcast
Testimony series
Church leader discussions
Every piece of content should either strengthen believers, support churches, or invite people into community.
Media Strategy
Christ Strong Media
Build a media presence that amplifies Christ Strong initiatives, supports churches, and reaches people beyond physical events.
Use modern media channels to encourage believers, share testimonies, highlight churches, and extend the reach of Christ Strong.
1
Phase 1 – Audience Building
Facebook
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok (short-form distribution)
Content Strategy:
Inspirational content
Ministry highlights
Church spotlights
Christ Works updates
Festival updates
Testimonies
Curated content from trusted Christian voices
2
Phase 2 – Original Content
Short-form video series
Founder conversations
Church leader interviews
Testimony videos
Festival behind-the-scenes content
3
Phase 3 – Christ Strong Media Network
Podcast
Documentary-style storytelling
Event coverage
Original ministry programming
Success Metrics: Followers · Email subscribers · Video views · Engagement rate · Churches reached
Media is not a separate ministry pillar. It is the amplification engine that supports every Christ Strong initiative.
Partnership Strategy
Church Partnership Network
Create a growing network of churches that become both ministry partners and distribution channels for Christ Strong initiatives.
Churches are the multiplier that connects all three pillars.
Church Partners Can:
Adopt Christ Works
Promote First Thursdays
Promote the Festival
Provide volunteers
Provide follow-up and discipleship
Extend Christ Strong's reach into local communities
Growth Targets
25
Year 1
Active Church Partners
100
Year 2
Active Church Partners
250
Year 3
Active Church Partners
Partnership Benefits — For Churches
Community engagement tools
Event participation opportunities
Volunteer opportunities
Access to ministry resources
Partnership Benefits — For Christ Strong
Audience growth
Distribution network
Trusted local relationships
Long-term ministry impact
A strong church network creates sustainable ministry growth without requiring proportional increases in staffing or advertising.
Measurement
Ministry Impact Dashboard
Measure ministry effectiveness using clear, objective metrics that demonstrate stewardship and impact.
Church Impact
Churches partnered
Churches using Christ Works
Church retention rate
Community Impact
First Thursdays attendance
Volunteer participation
Repeat attendance
Festival Impact
Event attendance
Church participation
Baptisms
Decisions for Christ
New believer follow-up
Digital Impact
Active users
Prayer groups created
Bible studies organized
Volunteer opportunities filled
Engagement activity
Leadership Dashboard
Quarterly reporting to founders including:
Impact metrics
Growth trends
Resource utilization
Strategic recommendations
What gets measured gets improved. Every initiative should demonstrate measurable ministry impact.
What Success Looks Like in 3 Years
2029 Target State
1
Digital Ministry (Christ Works)
100+ active churches
Thousands of weekly users
Churches using the platform for prayer, groups, events, and discipleship
Measurable ministry engagement data
2
Community Gatherings (First Thursdays)
Established monthly Reno gathering
Strong local church participation
Consistent young adult attendance
Recognized community ministry touchpoint
3
Signature Events (Festival)
Annual Christ Strong Festival
Regional and national visibility
Strong church participation
Sustainable sponsorship model
4
Organizational Legacy
Clear mission and governance
Sustainable operating structure
Measurable ministry impact
Positioned to continue beyond the founders' lifetime
"Success is not measured by events held or dollars spent, but by churches strengthened, believers connected, and people brought closer to Christ."
Digital Ministry
Christ Works Strategy
Current Status
MVP Completed
Core platform is built and functional
Concept Validated
Core ministry use case confirmed with early users
Functional Platform
Basic features operational and stable
Phase 2 Priorities
Church Usability
Streamline onboarding and navigation for church administrators
Administration Tools
Expand pastor and ministry leader management capabilities
Engagement Features
Add prayer, Bible study, volunteer, and group functionality
Church Adoption Ready
Prepare platform for structured pilot rollout to 25 churches
Proposed Objective: Become the primary community engagement platform for local churches across our target regions.
Christ Works Roadmap
Platform Development & Expansion
1
Phase 1
Complete Phase 2 Development
Finalize all Phase 2 features, church usability improvements, and administration tools
2
Phase 2
Pilot Church Rollout
Structured onboarding of 25 pilot churches; gather data, refine experience, build testimonials
3
Phase 3
Regional Expansion
Scale to 100 churches across target regions; leverage pilot learnings and church-to-church referrals
4
Phase 4
Long-Term Sustainability
Evaluate subscription or stewardship model; establish operating revenue to reduce donor dependency
Each phase builds directly on the prior, creating a disciplined path from validated MVP to a self-sustaining national ministry platform.
Why Christ Works Matters
Christ Works represents Christ Strong's highest-leverage investment — a platform that generates measurable ministry impact at scale with each incremental church adoption.
25
Pilot Churches
Initial rollout target in Phase 2
100
Target Churches
Regional expansion goal in Phase 3
10K+
Members Connected
Estimated engagement for church cohort
Beyond raw reach, the platform enables churches to organize prayer groups, structure Bible studies, coordinate volunteers, and track community engagement — creating ministry infrastructure that compounds in value over time.
Key Message: This initiative provides measurable, documented ministry impact at scale — making it the most stewardship-efficient investment in the Christ Strong portfolio.
Signature Events
Christ Strong Festival
The Christ Strong Festival is the organization's annual flagship public event — a large-scale gathering designed to demonstrate faith, foster community, offer worship, and extend outreach to new believers.
Master Planning
Comprehensive event master plan completed
Venue Concepts
Target venue options identified and evaluated
Budget Framework
Initial financial model and cost structure created
Operational Strategy
Preliminary logistics and operational framework developed
Next Requirement: The festival has completed its concept development phase. It now requires a formal transition to execution planning with authorized leadership action.
Festival Execution
Festival Execution Requirements
Moving from concept to execution requires immediate action across seven workstreams. Leadership authorization is needed to initiate the following:
1
Producer Outreach
Engage qualified event production companies and solicit formal proposals
2
Ministry Discussions
Initiate exploratory conversations with K-LOVE and Harvest Ministries
3
Sponsorship Strategy
Develop and activate a tiered corporate and ministry sponsorship program
4
Operations Planning
Develop full site, logistics, safety, and vendor operations plan
5
Artist Booking
Identify and initiate outreach to worship artists and keynote speakers
6
Volunteer Planning
Design and begin recruitment for the event volunteer program
7
Church Partnerships
Formalize outreach to regional churches for participation and co-promotion
The project now requires execution authority rather than additional concept development. Delay increases cost and reduces venue and talent availability.
Decision Required
Festival Decision Path
We must decide the production and ownership model before execution planning can advance. Two viable paths:
Option A — Christ Strong Produces
Christ Strong independently produces and owns the festival.
Advantages:
Full creative and operational control
Long-term asset and brand ownership
Unrestricted mission alignment
All surplus revenue retained by Christ Strong
Considerations:
Higher financial and operational risk
Requires building production infrastructure
Option B — Ministry Partnership
Partner with an established ministry organization (e.g., Harvest Ministries).
Advantages:
Reduced financial and operational risk
Access to established volunteer systems
Proven outreach infrastructure
Expanded reach through partner networks
Considerations:
Reduced brand and creative control
Shared mission alignment required
Decision Required: Which production model does leadership authorize for the 2027 Christ Strong Festival?
Community Gatherings
First Thursdays Strategy
First Thursdays is Christ Strong's recurring monthly ministry program — a consistent community gathering designed to build relationships, connect young adults to local churches, and create an ongoing point of ministry engagement.
Program Goals
Build Community
Create authentic relational connections among young adults and college-age attendees
Local Engagement
Generate consistent monthly ministry activation within the Reno community
Church Support
Connect attendees to local churches and create pathways for deeper involvement
Ministry Touchpoint
Serve as a recurring, low-barrier entry point for faith exploration
Success Metrics
Attendance
Total monthly headcount with growth trend tracking
Repeat Participation
Percentage of attendees returning month-over-month
Church Involvement
Number of local churches actively participating or co-hosting
Volunteer Growth
Size and retention of the active volunteer team
Operating Model
First Thursdays Operating Model
A structural challenge must be addressed to ensure operational continuity: the Executive Director is based in Florida, while monthly events occur in Reno, Nevada.
Recommended Action
Hire a local part-time Reno coordinator to manage on-the-ground execution. This position ensures consistent event quality without requiring Executive Director travel for each monthly gathering.
Coordinator Responsibilities:
Venue sourcing and management
Volunteer coordination and scheduling
Local logistics and setup
Event execution support
Artist and speaker hospitality
Executive Director Role
With local execution delegated, the Executive Director focuses on higher-leverage organizational functions:
Strategy & Vision
Program design, theme development, and long-term direction
Partnerships
Church and ministry relationships, artist and speaker sourcing
Budget Oversight
Financial planning, reporting, and resource allocation
Programming
Content curation and overall experience design
Organization
Organizational Structure
Christ Strong operates under a lean, mission-focused organizational model with clear reporting lines and defined functional areas beneath executive leadership.
Each pillar operates with defined ownership while maintaining centralized strategic direction and financial oversight through the Executive Director and Founders.
Measurement
Organizational Success Scorecard
Progress across all three pillars will be measured against defined metrics reported to leadership on a regular cadence.
Digital Ministry
Christ Works Platform
Churches onboarded (Phase 2 target: 25)
Active monthly users
Feature engagement rate
Prayer groups and Bible studies created
Volunteer placements facilitated
Community Gatherings
First Thursdays
Monthly attendance figures
Month-over-month retention rate
Active volunteer team size
Participating local churches
New attendee percentage
Signature Events
Christ Strong Festival
Total event attendance
Church participation and co-promotion
Baptisms and commitments recorded
New believer follow-up connections
Sponsorship and partnership revenue
All metrics will be reported in a quarterly dashboard presented to founders and organizational leadership.
Execution Plan
24-Month Execution Timeline
2026 — Build
Complete Christ Works Phase 2 development and pilot church rollout. Launch First Thursdays with local coordinator in place. Advance festival planning, select production model, and engage producer partners.
2027 — Execute
Execute inaugural Christ Strong Festival. Expand Christ Works to 100 churches in target regions. Grow First Thursdays attendance and deepen church partnerships across the Reno community.
2028 — Scale
Scale Christ Works platform nationally and evaluate subscription revenue model. Expand festival partnerships and explore second market. Evaluate national growth opportunities across all three pillars.
This timeline reflects a disciplined sequencing: build core infrastructure in 2026, execute flagship initiatives in 2027, and scale proven models in 2028 and beyond.
Action Plan
Immediate Next 90 Days
Christ Works
Finalize Phase 2 scope
Approve development budget
Establish church pilot strategy
Festival
Producer outreach
Harvest discussions
K-LOVE discussions
Sponsorship framework
Preliminary artist outreach
First Thursdays
Venue replacement
Reno coordinator search
Pilot event structure
Success today means leaving with authorization to begin execution on these actions.
Leadership Decisions
Key Decisions Required
Leadership authorization is required on five specific decisions to enable execution to proceed. Each decision has been scoped to the minimum required for forward momentum.
1
Christ Works Phase 2 Funding
Approve budget allocation for Phase 2 development work required prior to pilot church rollout
2
Festival Producer Outreach
Authorize Executive Director to engage event production companies and gather formal proposals
3
First Thursday Locations 
Decide whether to move ahead with Brandon or not. Recommend no. 
4
K-LOVE Partnership Discussions
Use this meeting to prepare for K-LOVE meeting. Present marketing requests and event partnership opportunities
5
First Thursdays: Reno Coordinator Position
Approve creation and recruitment of a local part-time First Thursdays coordinator based in Reno
Governance
Authority & Execution Framework
To increase organizational velocity while maintaining appropriate founder oversight, the following authority framework is proposed for the Executive Director role.
Executive Director Authority
The Executive Director is authorized to act independently in the following areas:
Evaluate Producers & Vendors
Initiate outreach and receive proposals from qualified production companies and vendors
Develop Partnerships
Conduct exploratory discussions with ministry organizations, media partners, and churches
Build Budgets
Develop and present detailed budget frameworks for leadership review
Founder Approval Required
All major financial commitments and binding agreements remain subject to founder authorization:
Major Expenditures
All significant budget approvals above agreed threshold
Binding Contracts
All formal agreements with vendors, producers, and partners
Strategic Partnerships
Formal co-branding, co-production, or revenue-sharing arrangements
Purpose: Increase organizational velocity while maintaining appropriate stewardship and oversight.
Conclusion
Christ Strong has the opportunity to build a lasting ministry platform that extends beyond individual events and beyond the founders' lifetime.
01
Complete Christ Works
Finish Phase 2, launch pilot churches, and establish the platform as a scalable ministry tool
02
Execute Festival Planning
Authorize execution authority, engage producers, and advance toward the 2027 inaugural event
03
Launch First Thursdays
Hire local coordinator, stabilize the operating model, and grow community engagement in Reno
04
Build Sustainable Systems
Establish governance, metrics, and operational infrastructure for long-term organizational impact
The next phase of Christ Strong is execution. The vision is clear. The strategy is defined. Leadership alignment and authorized action are the required next steps.