I was talking to the executive director of a homeless ministry recently. Every day, they feed hundreds of meals. Every night, the ministry boards dozens of men and women. They clothe people. They help prepare people for job interviews. It’s an amazing ministry, doing great work.
But everything isn’t great.
The leader is tired, the budget is stretched and the volunteer base is thin. Everyone is worn out emotionally and physically.
What’s the real problem? The real challenge?
It was easy to diagnose as an outsider.
The leader is too busy serving to ever lead.
She never has time to recruit volunteers, let alone train them. She never has time to do board development. She never has time to fundraise. She never has time to cast the vision. She never has time to plan and dream. She never has time to invest in anything that lasts longer than today.
And, she never has time to take care of herself. Ever.
All things she verbally recognizes she needs to do.
It’s the real problem. It’s the real challenge to the ministry.
And, if she’s not careful—and I hate to be the one to say this to such a wonderful ministry—eventually, it has the potential to tremendously cripple the ministry. In fact, the future of the ministry, in my professional organizational-leadership opinion, is in jeopardy now. And, she is personally a time bomb waiting to explode in burnout.
And, she is one example. But, she is not unique. I’ve seen it many times. I see it among my pastor friends.
Show me a constantly overworked leader. Show me continually stressed volunteers. Show me a thin budget. Show me a ministry with more demands than the resources or people to meet them …
And, I’ll show you a ministry that is headed for certain trouble unless something is addressed.
It reminds me of the hardest thing I’ve seen for ministers to do who love doing ministry—people with a servant’s heart.
If he or she has a heart to serve others. If he or she loves helping people—connecting with people—ministering to people …
The hardest thing to do …
Is to step back and see the bigger picture.
They have a hard time stopping ministry long enough to explore longer-term issues. They have a hard time doing, what seems to be at the time, unproductive work. People need to be fed. People are hurting. That’s why the ministry exists, right?
And, I get that. I’ve lived that. I even applaud the heart. It’s that heart that possibly prompted them into the ministry. It’s a great heart.
The problem is that it isn’t sustainable long-term. Even Jesus “slipped away” from the crowds. Even Elijah needed to be strengthened.
My advice:
Be willing to stop feeding one so you can feed dozens more in months to come.
Spend time developing the board. Spend time recruiting more volunteers. Spend time raising more funds. Spend time casting the vision to the community. Spend time caring for yourself. Spend time relaxing at the feet of Jesus.
It will seem like you’re neglecting the ministry for a time, but in the big picture, you’ll be building a better and stronger ministry. And, you’ll be a healthier leader.
What do you need to stop doing now so you can see even more done later?
