Podcast Episode #334
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Nearly every pastor I talk with says their church is just too busy. So why does this happen? Why do we let it become like this? Today, we tackle eight reasons.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
- In the past, churches looked to programs to grow the church. That’s not the case today.
- There’s nothing wrong with programs as long as they are the means, not the end.
- Program-driven churches give the appearance of growth, but programs aren’t a good measure of church health.
- More church activities do not necessarily mean more church ministry.
- We shouldn’t settle for mediocrity in the church.
- Simple Church is not all about cutting programs. It’s about having a process of discipleship.
- Churches naturally gravitate toward silo behavior.
- Silo behavior adds to the busyness in churches.
- It’s always easier to say “yes” and add programs than to say “no” and delete them.
The eight reasons we discuss are:
- Activities became synonymous with ministry.
- Programs and ministries are added regularly, but few or none are ever deleted.
- Programs and ministries become sacred cows.
- The alignment question is not asked on the front end.
- Silo behavior among the different ministries of the church.
- Lack of an evaluation process.
- Ministry becomes facility-centered.
- Lack of courageous leadership.
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Feedback
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There is a prevalent idea that the more time spent doing church activities, the more faithful the person is or will be.
Just a thought. I never read the John Piper book “Brothers, We are Not Professionals,” but I always liked the title.
Are we in danger of turning pastoring into a job like any other business management career job? We hire “search firms” to find the right guy who is 30 but has 50 years of experience. Has an MDiv and 5 years of preaching experience. Proven track record of growth, etc. etc. etc.
Yet, we get blog posts about “doing too much”. Anyone else see a problem?
Everyone and everything has to be perfect.
I fear you are onto something here.
I often hear churches and church leaders discuss “hiring” staff. I believe that ministry is a call and people should be called to a church, not hired. Though the process may look much the same, the thought process should be different.
I think it is a matter of the world influencing the church rather than the church influencing the world. Especially in our country where “success” is highly esteemed … and what is “success” … “bigger, better, more, work hard, achieve,..etc”.
I wonder if doing a lot of “stuff” gives people the false impression that they are spiritually mature? Perhaps, in some cases, all the “ministry” becomes a sort of penance (I’ve witnessed it). I see the same thing with many of today’s parents. They enroll the kids in every sport, try to get them involved in every extra curricular activity, and run them all over the place seven days a week because they believe it is “good parenting.” Maybe it’s one more lie that Satan uses to keep people from doing what God really wants.
I heard this quote by Os Guinness when speaking to a group of Africans. They told him, “All you westerners have watches but none of you have time.”
Do you think busyness is a numbing mechanism to keep us from truly encountering God, ourselves and others deeply?
Two statements did not sit well with me in this podcast. ” It is a sin to be good when God has called you to be great.” What’s the scriptural reference for that? The 2nd statement, “We should not ‘be doing things’ but rather we need to do to best things.” Who decides what the “Best things” are? The first thing that came to my mind, God has not called me to be great, He has called me to be obedient. The first and greatest commandment for me is to love the Lord my God with all my heart, soul, and mind.
The 2nd thought came from 1 Samuel 16: 7 but the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” I know who I am; there is nothing great about me, but God is great and I can do whatever me wants me to do when I lean on Him. For me it may just be handing out cold bottles of water to those who are thirsty.
On a side note, Luke 4:42-43 At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to keep him from leaving them. But he said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.” After spending time in prayer Jesus knew it was time to go. The ministry he had done there the night before was good solid ministry, but it was time to move on.
When people in authority spend the appropriate time in prayer they too will know when it is time to move on to other ministry areas.
BTW I like Mike’s comment from Africa.
Great podcast. I posted a link to it on my blog with this comment, “Take time to listen to this podcast. I don’t believe that you’ll regret it.”
Thanks, Robin!