by Peter Blue
In part one of this article I discussed how we as humans have an inherent flaw to overlook things that need fixed, or stopped, because we just get used to them. However, when people are involved, doing things because “we’ve always done it that way,” can lead to burn-out that could have been avoided.
Take a Hard Look at Why You Continue to do Things the Same Way
Have you ever asked yourself, or your leadership team why you are doing what you are doing? I’m not talking about proclaiming the gospel. I’m talking more about your ministry’s approach. Is how you are doing ministry still relevant, effective, and technologically current? Are your ministry communications platforms, team, and equipment still as effective as when it was originally purchased, and put in place? Do you have milestones, or data points that you have established to help you honestly audit the effectiveness of what you’re doing?
If not, why are you doing it? Is it because it’s always been done that way? Is it because someone is in denial of other options? Is it because of ego that is burning people out for something a pastor or leader wanted, but never happened? Is it because no one has taken the time to frequently train your team to do things the right way, or to do it better? Are you valuing the purchase of newer equipment over the frequent training of your teams to think and do things effectively? Is there denial of where your ministry is, or how you do ministry that is burning out loyal, good volunteers, church leaders, and staff? Are you taking an honest look at why you are not connecting, or are you making excuses?
Change For The Better
Sometimes the way things are done in ministry is birthed out of vision. A quarterly baptismal service at a local park on the lake, or the ocean for a community church that’s close to those bodies of water is an example. Instead of making the investment in a baptismal at a church, this is a great opportunity for the church to have a community outing together; all while having great exposure to the community. I have seen a few churches do this very effectively, and the money they would have spent on installation and maintenance of the baptismal pool can then be used elsewhere for other ministries in the church that need the financial resources.
Another way that things are often created as a “modus operandi” in a ministry is out of forced necessity. Almost everyone reading this knows exactly what I’m talking about when recalling the unexpected and immediate shift that ministries had to take when the global lockdowns happened a few years ago. Churches that once refused to consider live streaming were now unexpectedly thrown on the same log boat ride just as it started to careen down the dark, cold chute into the abyss of the unknown. Pastors that had no idea what a codec was, or the difference between a cable and a DSL modem were instantly being baptized as their ministries’ ‘unofficial IT administrators.’ Church leaders were showing up or were attempting to sign on to leadership web-conference meetings who had no idea they even had a webcam on their tablets, let alone how to use it.
While churches have gone back to a live audience service, most are still keeping their live stream going. For one reason or another, the pastor wants to keep it, or leadership thinks it’s a good thing. The other big reason that I hear a lot is, “well we have the equipment, so why not?”
The problem isn’t with the equipment, or knowing how to use it, but whether or not your ministry has the right number of human resources required for operating and maintaining the live stream. In many cases, these valuable team members could be potentially used elsewhere in a greater capacity. This is an ever-growing reality as the way that many churches do ministry has now shifted back to a focus on live, in-person services.
Audit the Effectiveness of Your Ministries
Using quantifiable values helps to bring the truth to light. That could be numbers in attendance in a Sunday School, or average live and accrued viewers over a week for a live stream on your ministry’s social media platforms.
If the number of volunteers and/or staff needed to continue to maintain the ministry, whatever it may be, is greater than the amount of people it is reaching, then it is time to consider the end of life for that ministry, or the way you are currently operating. If not, you are simply not stewarding the most valuable resource that a church has; one that is more valuable than money, technology, and property combined and one that is the hardest to repair and replace. That is the ministry’s people, its staff, and volunteers.
What Should You do if The Ministry is no Longer Effective?
So what happens when you determine that the technology, or method of a specific ministry, is no longer relevant and needs to be discontinued? How do you show respect for those dedicated people who have kept it going for so long? How do you help those few who were still connected to the ministry you’re closing down to engage in another part of your ministry that is currently more effective?
Some honestly will feel relief if they are handling multiple responsibilities. It may be a blessing more than you realize to take something off of their plate that they are asked to do!
However, others may have difficulty in understanding that discontinuing a ministry is not a reflection of your value of them. Taking the extra time and effort to help guide those who worked behind the scenes, and also those congregants that engaged in that ministry being shut down, is critically important to maintain the integrity of the long-term impact of the ministry as a whole. These decisions must be carefully thought and planned out before the big decision is made. All of this is more important than the immediate results of a new approach being implemented.
Providing loyal staff and volunteers a chance to feel needed, and where they feel fulfilled, is just as critically important. This is entirely different than just showing them a void where you have a need that needs to be filled in a ministry. People feel wanted, respected, and appreciated, when they feel fulfilled using their God given talents, ones He has uniquely wired each of us with in a way that no other person before or after us will have.
As a leader, taking the time to make sure you help people find fulfillment with their calling in the greater ministry of your church is absolutely vital to the long term engagement, and overall impact of the ministry God’s given you to lead.
Making the Hard Decision to Quit a Ministry
Ministries continue routines, ways in which they communicate, and/or how they use their resources often times because they’re used to it. Even if something isn’t working effectively it’s still done because “that’s just how we do it.”
In order to break that cycle, leadership must be bold enough to confront the areas of concern lovingly with bold truth. The truth needs to guide a change of focus in what is important in the overall vision of the ministry, or where a ministry’s resources are best used. Sometimes you need to confront the difficult. Sometimes that will mean having “tough love” conversations about reality with pastors, leadership, and volunteers who need to have the honest truth told them about what is not working and why.
For example, a pastor, or head leadership in denial that live streaming a service is not reaching the tens of thousands they had once envisioned needs to be presented with the truth. They then need to be honest with themselves that the actual live viewing numbers of their streaming platforms are telling a truth that is different than their perception. That truth should be considered strongly as the deciding factor of whether or not the time, talent (volunteers and staff), and resources (equipment and finances), needed to maintain that live stream, are being used wisely. They need to come to terms with a dream or vision that was given time but never became a reality and bore the fruit of ministry they once thought it would.
If they continue to ignore this truth, then they’re strongly providing validation that they continue to ignore it out of ego, and not out of authentic concern for the greater mission of engagement of the ministry.
The greatest resource that is often overlooked in churches is not the technology needs, but rather the people that know how to make the technology work. It is they who are the faithful ones to make sure that the ministries thrive and function effectively. Auditing a ministry helps to prevent burnout of this most precious resource while leading a ministry with intentional momentum. This momentum shows in both the actions and words of leadership and validates the value the ministry places on its people’s time, talent, and the finances God has given them to steward as it continues to move forward in the direction God’s laid on the hearts of all as they share His Good News with the world.
What are Your Thoughts?
Is your ministry currently struggling with making the hard decisions on what to quit and what to continue? How are you finding effective ways to value and equip your flock for more effective ministry with your congregation? Are you needing help to find or recalibrate your ministry’s mission and vision? I’d like to hear from you – e-mail me at info@evidentproductions.com
Peter Blue is a creative specialist who works with clients globally to develop innovative A/V installations and projects. He is devout Christ-follower, with a heart for where he started – with the church. Check out Peter’s company, Evident Productions or follow him on LinkedIn.
