Jesus’ plan is too hard and it takes too long
This may be the most honest complaint yet. The others are often theological smoke screens to hide a deeper problem. The fact is, most pastors are looking for something easy and immediate. Something that will get the numbers up, the people happy, the baptisms flowing, and the financials growing. Most pastors are overworked, under-resourced, and laden with the guilt of not leading well enough, not preaching well enough, or not getting the results they hope for. I can certainly relate to that.
The pressure to produce quick results
If you measure your success in ministry and personal worth on how many attended your weekend services or how many baptisms you had last quarter, you are going to be on an emotional roller coaster. Let’s just be brutally honest. Most churches in the United States aren’t growing. According to a recent poll by Tom Rainer, only 6% of churches are actually growing. That means six out of one hundred are growing, and ninety-four have either plateaued or are declining.5 This means that out of one hundred pastors reading this book, ninety-four of you are leading churches that are struggling. That’s just reality. And that reality is troublesome.
When ministry feels like pushing a boulder uphill
I remember talking over the phone with a pastor in a small community. I asked him how things were going. He paused for a while, then said,
“I’m in a dying church in a dying town.” I could feel the pain and frustration in his voice. We’ve all been there at some point. I remember leading the church in Oklahoma. I felt at times like the church was a huge boulder I was pushing up a hill, and if I relaxed for just a minute, it would come rolling down on top of me. I was looking for some answers – some quick answers.
There are no quick fixes – but there is a plan
Look, I have some good news for you. Are you ready for it? I don’t have any quick fixes or easy answers. There is no model that will instantaneously turn around a visionless department or fix an underperforming staff member or boost your offering next week or get rid of that cranky elder. What I do have is a plan that Jesus gave us, that will over time produce real, genuine, authentic, Christ-loving men and women.
The joy of true ministry investment
As I look back over the years of my ministry, my greatest source of joy hasn’t come from accomplishing a certain goal or constructing a building. My joy is in the people I personally invested my life into and watching them continue to walk with God and make disciples. This is what Paul meant when he said, “For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?” (2 Thessalonians 2.19).
Who are you investing your life into?
Let me ask you a gut-level question. Who have you invested your life into? Could you write down on a piece a paper the names of people you have personally trained to walk with God, share their faith, and make disciples? If the answer is no, then you are missing out on the joy of ministry.
The real solution to the church’s greatest challenges
Listen, the answer to the lack of volunteers in your church is more genuine, Spirit-empowered disciples. The answer to the conflict problems in your church is more genuine, Spirit-empowered disciples. The answer to your low evangelism fruit in your church is more genuine, Spirit-empowered disciples. The answer to your financial problems in your church is more genuine, Spirit-empowered disciples. The answer to just about any malady that makes the church weak and anemic is the need for more sold-out, fired up, genuine, Spirit-empowered disciples. The way to get more disciples like this is to make them. One person at a time. And that starts with you.
Getting back to Jesus’ original plan
Over the next few chapters, I’m going to show you how to do just that. So let’s put the excuses behind us. Let’s agree that Jesus has a plan for his church and we need to get on that plan and stop chasing the latest model. If you can agree with that, then you are ready for the next bold move.
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, Bold Moves.
