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Here are four practices to build momentum in ministry:
1. Attack mission drift by asking "Why?"
To achieve any goal, there's a measure of focus, reminders, and discipline required to persevere and see the mission fulfilled. Often, churches fall into mission confusion more than clarity. A busy church culture creates pathways and processes centered around "doing" that hardly ever asks the question, "Why?" "Well, why do we do this? Why does this ministry exist? Why was this ministry started?" Asking this question calls leadership and congregational attention back to the mission. Answering the question compels people towards the mission more. Going back to "why?" serves as a continual reminder an effective battle plan against missional drift. Many mini missions pop up as more people start more programs that slowly murkily cloud the clear waters of the main mission – the Great Commission. For any ministry within a church, ask "Why?"
2. Strategically envision ministry outcomes
What is Strategic Envisioning? It's painting a plan into a picture. Visually verbalizing and writing what mission success looks like with flesh on bones. It's giving people the correct lenses for their glasses to see mission success when it actually happens. Strategic envisioning helps set clear mission and vision goals, so you don't miss celebrating God's work when he does what you asked him to. Overlooking mountains moved is all too common in church leadership and the congregation. The strategic envisioning process proactively prevents ungrateful hearts birthed by worldly discontentment that always hungers for the next thing without celebrating the spiritual feast the Lord has placed before them.
3. Measure ministry outcomes
Do you measure ministry outcomes? Strategic envisioning requires measurements to recognize God's work manifested in your church's ministry. Determine what your mission success can be or should look like measurably and immeasurably. You must ask yourself the question:
"If God did exactly what you asked him to in your church or ministry, what would that look like?"
Verbalized and written, what does that look like practically? Are there metrics that come to mind? Gospel presentations? Salvations? Baptisms? Church growth? Missionaries sent? Churches Planted? Prisoners saved? A surge of new leaders? New people called to occupational ministry? Donations to the local community? A certain amount of service hours provided to the local community? Depending on your ministry context, the ways you could quantify your mission success are nearly endless.
Why is measuring mission success important? One, it determines your direction. Two, it reveals your destination reached so you don't continue driving right by it and miss the beautiful sights you've longed to witness. Many church leaders miss the exit sign and pass on by the very works they've prayed God would bring about. This blind spot can be wildly dangerous to the spiritual state of the congregation placed under the charge of this type of church's leadership. Symptoms such as discontentment, ungratefulness, mission drift, multiple competing visions, forgotten and confused values, and more can all yield avoidable conflict.
4. Communicate ministry vision, celebrate outcomes
Asking "Why?", strategically envisioning, and measuring ministry outcomes isn't enough. You must also communicate ministry vision and celebrate the outcomes. How should you communicate ministry vision? Passionately, so that you don't merely intrigue, but, rather, inspire others into movement towards making your ministry vision reality. Informatively, with a clear plan and process people can understand. Willfully challenging each of them to get off the bench and onto the playing field at the position God uniquely designed and wired them to fulfill – their calling.
Show them how God's mission, your vision, and measurable outcomes align with their individual calling.
Lastly, cement these by celebrating the outcomes when they manifest. Revisit and remind God's people of the mission, vision, and desired outcomes. As they lean in to contribute to the cause, celebrate by communicating, publishing, and sharing results of measurable outcomes. Steward stories of life change and missional obedience to display the immeasurable outcomes of God's glory manifest amongst his people. Marry yourself to these four practices and you will build momentum in your ministry.
 | Adam Erlichman is a Pastor, Consultant, and Best-Selling Author with Build Groups, LLC. He has served on various church staffs in Executive, Life Groups, Discipleship, Young Adult and Youth ministries and has written assessments, training processes, and resources including Group Leader Training. Adam serves on the Southern Baptist Texas Convention (SBTC) Discipleship Team/Board and occasionally blogs for the Small Group Network. He also guest speaks on podcasts such as Everyday Theologian and disciple FIRST. Learn More » |
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