Territorial Strategic Mission Plan (TSMP) Overview

Overview

The Territorial Strategic Mission Plan, or TSMP as it became affectionately known, was a period in our history where we asked every ministry context to apply focus around four territorial goals. Launched in 2006 for five years, it was extended twice, as TSMP: The Next Chapter (2010-2013) and then again as TSMP from 2013-2016. What follows is a summary of the overall period. The three individual plans are provided within their own menus.

History

In 2005, senior leadership asked what was holding us back from better achieving our mission of caring for people, transforming lives and reforming society, by God’s power. After widespread consultation, four main areas were identified that formed the basis of our Territorial Strategic Mission Plan (TSMP), with four goals for The Salvation Army in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga:

• To grow all Salvationists as dynamic disciples
• To increase the number of new soldiers
• To take significant steps towards the eradication of poverty in New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga
• To be a connected, streamlined and mission-focused army.

This initial TSMP phase was extremely valuable in providing focus and rallying Salvationists and staff around these shared mission goals. However, it was acknowledged that the plan had gaps. There was a sense that the goals lacked clarity (is a dynamic disciple an extravert?) and lacked a ‘how to’.
So, in 2010, TSMP was extended for three years under the banner of ‘TSMP: The Next Chapter’, with simplified wording; a series of new resources, and an action plan for the territory. This was then further refined in time for the 2013 Congress, with the addition of a new goal to recognise the need to develop leaders.

Territorial Strategic Mission Plan 2013 Goals

No one realised the impact that this sustained territorial focus would have on our territory. Our attendances at worship services grew, we enrolled more soldiers than prior to TSMP; there became far greater awareness of poverty and injustice; and much of our siloed thinking changed. In response to a survey about the plan, one person commented “God has blessed this plan and generated a more coordinated focus in The Salvation Army than I have experienced in over 35 years.”

There are several reasons why we believe TSMP had such an effect, including:

• It was birthed in prayer. Prior to the initial launch, the territory had a sustained focus on 24-7 prayer, with corps taking turns to ensure prayer continued non-stop for a year. Prayer banners in every division were passed from corps to corps before we launched The Next Chapter, and suggested prayer topics were shared via newsletters and the TSMP blog.
• Each launch was preceded with considerable consultation. TSMP started out of a series of weekend retreats for 45 representative Salvationists and was followed up with online surveys and consultation events across divisions. Over 1500 feedback forms were received in the lead up to launching TSMP: The Next Chapter.
• During the TMSP season, a range of resources were developed to support the goals. Most of these resources remain relevant and are still available for download from our mission resources section.

 While each of these goals will always be important (when we will not want to make disciples, enrol soldiers, fight injustice or develop leaders?), in 2016, senior leaders decided that TSMP was losing its impact, and so a new Mission Plan was launched at Congress on 1 October 2016.

We thank God for what was achieved with TSMP and look forward to what is still to come through our future Mission Plans.