Small Building Blocks for Big Success

Success can be difficult to define and even harder to achieve. However, in ministry we’ve been called not to make sure every person we shepherd has reached the destination (because we know that that is a lifelong pursuit), but to train them to understand how to read the map God has given them along the way. Pastors and church leaders all feel the burdensome dilemma of pouring ourselves out for the people God has entrusted us to love and lead, only to feel like we are stuck. We experience limited time because so many of life’s activities are chosen over meeting to worship, engage in discipleship, and enjoy fellowship.

As I think about the things I do weekly to develop successful ministry, I began to think about 5 things I do to connect with God’s people inside and outside of church:

1.    Make Time to Pray

Now I know that this sounds like an easy answer, but it doesn’t take long to realize that the busyness of ministry, ironically, fights against our prayer life. I am guilty of it myself. We expect prayer to simply change the heart of God and those around us, but people don’t seem to be changing and God seems to have a different plan. We fail to realize that prayer is designed to change the heart of the one praying before it changes anything else. It is crazy to think that we can put up with the pressure of ministry, find the passion to love people despite themselves, and realize how broken we are, unless we spend time consistently in prayer. Prayer aligns crooked hearts, mends open wounds, gives strength to weary arms, and refocuses blurry eyes. Prayer may not always change the students, parents, and volunteers you cannot seem to reach before it will impassion your heart toward investing in them whether you realize it or not.

2.    Teach the truth clearly

I once heard a wise pastor say, “Just because the water is muddy doesn’t mean it’s deep.” It can be tempting to measure the depth of a message by the amount of Greek we explain or how impactful our illustrations are but remember that a clear, truth-filled action step gives your people a plan not just a show. In a world that is governed by 60 second videos and 240-character tweets, meeting people where they are means clearly communicating God’s Word in a way that they can apply in their lives. True simplicity comes only after we have waded through complex waters and found ourselves on the other side. Information should always point to transformation.

3.    Consistently communicate with your church and team

I have found that the more connected I am to families, the more opportunities I must invest in their lives, and the more connected they are in fellowship. The better a family knows you the more likely they are to invite you into their lives. Though everyone is not the same and we cannot make deep personal connections with hundreds of families, keep in mind that connection is often understood differently depending on the person. Keep it clear, brief, and impactful. Here are some of the most effective methods I have found for this principle:

·      Weekly emails that inform and encourage your families and church members. Not everyone is in a season of needing a deep friendship with you, but most want to know that they can always contact you if they need anything. They also need to know your heart, the values of your church, so that it becomes much easier to connect with you.

·      Using a free or paid text service to encourage, communicate, and link your communications is an easy and wise way to grow your communication.

·      Use social media wisely. I once heard from a middle school student whose family I had never met before, that he was allowed to come to a morning Bible study at our church because his mother “knew” me from seeing everything on my social media account. It may seem obvious, but it is important to realize that whatever oozes from our social media feed is going to be what people believe is true about us.

·      Birthday, encouragement, or ‘just because’ mail. In a digital world it may be unnecessary to send handwritten notes, but it makes receiving them that much more special.

·      Don’t let first time guests go unnoticed! Enough said.

·      Whether it is your team or your church, it is true that vision and communication leak, so we need to do our best to fill our lives with it and show it to our people.

4.    Encourage Everyone

Sometimes we can lose sight of making sure that every person around us knows they are the most important aspect of ministry to you. Sometimes this means a phone call, other times it is simply making sure that no student leaves without a hug, handshake, or other statement of importance. I once heard a student pastor say, “We would be foolish to assume that students are told that they are loved at home, but the sweetest thing a person can hear is their name.” You and the leaders around you may be the only people that are truly showing people that God loves, values, and desires to know them beyond the surface level. This principle should extend to each one of your volunteers or team as well. God has sent each person who serves with you for a specific purpose, and we must remind them of their worth in Christ weekly. Encouraged people change the world because they are lights in the darkness.

5.    Be open to criticism 

This may sound crazy, but ever since I was a volunteer in church, I have always told my leaders, “…if it doesn’t work, no one is doing anyone else a favor by not telling me.” If we could do it alone we wouldn’t need anyone else, so don’t be afraid of the opinions and concerns of those around you. Granted, that’s easy to say and hard to do, but students and leaders don’t need someone with all the answers, they want someone who will work through the problems with them. Not every problem and concern warrant a change in your ministry, but most people simply want to be heard. I know what you’re thinking, “If I give everyone that kind of green light, my inbox will never be empty!” But truthfully, we all know most people who will abuse this offer, will do it anyway. You have less to lose than you think and more to gain that you realize. A chance to voice opinions gives students and leaders ownership, value, and vision to reach the students that God has called you to shepherd.

These are 5 things I try to do to be successful in ministry each week and it’s a work in progress. These small shifts however can make a bigger impact than you realize and perhaps you will find they help you in your ministry setting as well. If you would like help or a place to discuss how to strategically impact these principles for your context reach out to us at hello@g6allies.com and we would love to serve you!