MEDIA FOR CHURCHES 

In Pastor Adeola Abolaji’s session on church media, the focus was clear: media is a powerful tool for the modern church. It's a way to connect with potential members far beyond your physical location, just like a bride positions herself to be found, the church uses media to be noticed. Excellence in media production is key to attracting new people, Pastor Abolaii reminds us to maintain perspective - a missed shot won't affect your faith, and serving faithfully is more important than media perfection.

COUNSELING STRATEGIES

Pastor Tomi Adisa spoke extensively on "Counseling Strategies". She explained that counseling usually involves discussing something that has happened in the past or is happening at the moment. Pastor Tomi Adisa listed the following as essential tools for every Christian counselor:

1.⁠ ⁠An in-depth knowledge of possible cases that will require their assistance.

2.⁠ ⁠Prayerfulness.

3.⁠ ⁠Observing confidentiality, except in cases that involve illegality or minors.

4.⁠ ⁠Teaching the truth with love and respect.

5.⁠ ⁠Providing counsel, not commands.

6.⁠ ⁠Avoiding sexual impropriety.

7.⁠ ⁠Being empathetic and containing one's emotions.

8.⁠ ⁠Not projecting one's weaknesses onto the counselee.

9.⁠ ⁠Spiritual maturity.

Pastor Tomi Adisa also emphasized that to be an effective counselor, one must not be judgmental and must have love. Starting counseling sessions with anger or distress will only fuel the counselee's negative state.

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR GROWTH

Pastor Daniel Nwoji spoke about the importance of strategic planning for growth. He defined strategic planning as a systematic process of envisioning a desired future and then translating that vision into broadly defined goals, objectives, and a sequence of steps to achieve them. Strategic planning provides direction and focus for life, ministry, or any venture, helping to align resources and efforts towards common goals. It enables proactive decision-making and adaptability.

Pastor Nwoji highlighted the following as key components of strategic planning:

•⁠ ⁠Assessing the current situation.

•⁠ ⁠Defining vision and mission.

•⁠ ⁠Setting goals.

•⁠ ⁠Developing strategies.

•⁠ ⁠Creating action plans.

•⁠ ⁠Implementing, monitoring, evaluating, and adapting.

He also emphasized the importance of strategic planning, noting that it is as important to success in any venture as breathing is to living. Strategic planning gives value to vision and purpose, and those who are plan-less are more likely to settle for less in life. Every valuable building requires a plan, and every valuable life, ministry, or organization will be built on a good plan. According to Pastor Nwoji, strategic planning is a major key to quality progress in any venture. The absence of strategic planning can lead to tragic failure, which is why every vision requires strategic planning to come to fruition.