Last week Aaron and I had the chance to visit with a church planter from Morristown, TN who has been very successful. He sent us a list of topics to discuss and the first one is probably the biggest struggle for all churches.
How do you keep things simple and streamlined as you grow?
If there is one thing that I am learning very quickly, it is that ministries have to be kept in focus. People are pulling from every direction and often have great ideas. But many times their ideas don’t fit the vision and values of the church. In the battle of our mind, we believe that we can’t say no. We make decisions to keep people in our ministry, and I wouldn’t recommend that as a practice. So, how do we streamline ministry?
- Set your vision and determine your non-negotiables – every ministry at FPC has to receive oversight from a staff member. If no one wants to oversee, it’s a sign that our heart is not in it.
- Learn to say no – it’s okay to say. Some people will not take it well but other people will become more committed as they understand what you value as a ministry.
- Learn to refocus. Some people need to be refocused into existing ministries. Challenge them to consider pouring their lives into places where God is already at work.
- Value your values. If they are written, live by them. If they are not written, write them.
Only the church leadership can streamline your ministry. Clarify as a team and live it – people will value that.
How do you go about getting your ministry streamlined?