Have you ever been around someone who is always on the edge? Everything is:
- “You can’t miss this!”
- “You MUST read this!”
- “You HAVE to be part of this!”
- “We’ve got to do this big event!”
- “Look what they did, let’s do it here!”
They’re always (and only) focused on the next big thing. The next big event. The next big service. The next big idea.
- People stop listening, which results in diminished influence (leadership).
- The “next big thing” becomes just another item on the calendar.
- Details, the foundation of your ministry success, begin to fall through the cracks.
So how do we overcome this challenge? I learned many years ago that the success in the “big” results from attention to the “small”. In other words, I’ve got to take care of the little stuff in my ministry on a week to week basis if I want the big stuff to mean anything. Communication, equipping, affirmation, administration, processes, policies…these are the weekly details that my ministry MUST be built on if I want the big things to happen successfully.
Think about the great athletes. We see them in the “big event” – the Olympic race, the pressure at-bat, the last second field goal. But what enables them to be successful at these times? Their daily routine that they’ve practiced thousands of times. It’s not just the act of running, or hitting, or kicking the football. It’s the hours upon hours of mental preparation, of physical conditioning, of practicing technique, of listening to coaches, and so many other relevant practices that lead to that moment. Without “routine”, these athletes don’t win the race, don’t hit the pitch, don’t kick the field goal. In fact, without routine, these athletes aren’t even in the game!
And neither are we.
The best way to make sure these things happen is to develop “routine”. Routine is necessary to get the details done. Sure, they can be boring. Sure, you’re going to get interrupted and distracted. Sure, you’re going to pulled away by your leaders to focus on other things. Sure, the “big” things are time consuming and demand your attention.
All these things makes the “necessity of the routine” that much more important. What systems do you have in place to build your ministry on a week to week basis and keep it running smoothly? What routines do you have in place that will allow you to deal with distractions and still get the essential weekly details taken care of? What regular practices do you have in place that will allow your people (staff, volunteers, parents) to feel secure in the midst of the planning for the “next big thing”?
Want to be successful in building a ministry? Embrace the “necessity of the routine” and see it happen.
