For many congregations, the challenges before them appear insurmountable. It’s not just that problems are numerous and often complex. Many times the potential roads forward are likewise numerous and complex. Daily I clear my inbox of multiple advertisements for church resources, programs, or consultants guaranteed to multiply attendance in x amount of time. Most of these have been fruitful in one ministry context or another. But their sheer volume frustrates leaders seeking to discern their next best step forward.
When the problems and options are many, wise leaders work to simplify things. While they must always keep the “big picture” in mind, they serve well when they sharpen focus on the next step, then the next, then the next.
How do congregations discover their best next step? The answer is deeper than this blog allows, and one about which I learn something new every day. Still, let me share with you a few points I’ve learned over the years.
First, congregations must remember God’s purpose for His church. Any step that does not lead your church toward greater obedience to the Lord’s Great Commandment and Great Commission is NOT your best next step.
Second, while conventional wisdom says to build on your strengths, there are a number of weaknesses and outright sin that will kill a congregation. So an honest assessment of congregational health is crucial. Hebrews 12:1 says that, before we can run with perseverance the race marked for us, we must lay aside every weight and sin. What issues in your church drain life from the ministry? In the same way medical personnel triage patients to determine order of treatment, triage your church and discern which issues are more crucial to address first. Then proceed with treatment.
Third, assess the opportunities. Given the Lord’s mission and having addressed the concerns, ask which of the opportunities available help the church become more faithful to the mission? I find disciple making a crucial element here, as it IS the Great Commission and is essential to believers’ practice of the Great Commandment. What is the next step you need to take in fulfillment of the Great Commission? For some it will be a disciple making pathway for the church. For others it will be engaging disciples as ministry leaders or on mission. Denominations and vendors clamor for attention, hoping churches will buy in to their resource, but the real issue is what best suits your congregation at this time. The best leaders say no to most of the propaganda, focusing in on those resources that help them through the next step.
This is one reason why GTBN isn’t about creating programs. We exist to help the church, we’re catalysts that stand beside congregations helping them discover and take their best next step. It’s in the relationship over time where we serve congregations best.
I’ll share more about this over time. If you would like to visit about next steps, or about how you can help partnering churches with theirs, contact me. In the meantime, let’s continue to serve the Lord together, one step at a time.
Blessings,
Jim