Most churches do not suffer from a lack of activity.
They suffer from too much of it.
I recently spoke with a lay elder who told me something that stopped me cold. He said he had little time to get to know his neighbors because he was so busy with church responsibilities.
That is not a staffing issue.
That is not a scheduling issue.
That is a discipleship problem.
When church activity crowds out everyday ministry, something has gone wrong.
In a previous article, I addressed how churches can refocus on meaningful ministry instead of constant activity. Here, I want to ask a more uncomfortable question: How did we get this busy in the first place?
Understanding the roots of dysfunctional busyness can help church leaders avoid repeating the same cycle.
How Churches Drift From Ministry to Busyness
1. Activity Slowly Becomes Synonymous With Ministry
Many churches measure faithfulness by how full the calendar is.
I am familiar with a missions support group made up of more than 30 people, over 20 percent of the church’s worship attendance. They hold meetings, host speakers, and plan regular fellowships. Yet they have never supported a missionary or participated in missions themselves.
They are deeply committed.
They are well organized.
They are very busy.
But they are not actually doing the ministry their name implies.
2. Programs Are Added, but Rarely Removed
Once something begins, it tends to stay.
I know of a church with an average attendance of 60 people that operates 15 committees and nearly 30 different programs throughout the year. That is nearly one ministry or committee per member.
Every year something new is added.
Almost nothing is ever retired.
Over time, the weight of maintaining programs consumes the energy that could have been invested in people.
3. Ministries Turn Into Sacred Cows
Some programs become untouchable, not because they are effective, but because of who started them.
A ministry launched decades ago by a beloved member can feel immune to evaluation. Questioning it feels disloyal. Ending it feels disrespectful.
But honoring the past should never prevent the church from serving the present faithfully.
4. The Alignment Question Is Rarely Asked
Even good ministries can be poor fits.
One church voted to launch a ministry because a single person had come to faith through a similar effort at another congregation. What they did not ask was whether this ministry aligned with their mission, capacity, or community context.
Good intentions are not the same as wise stewardship.
