5. Being Mediocre
One of the challenges most leaders face is trying to do a great ministry on limited resources.
Since we’re all hyper-connected, it means many churches try to imitate larger churches in what they do, often with limited success.
While you just don’t have the talent, skill or ability to pull off what a church 10x or 100x your size does, that doesn’t stop many from trying.
The result is usually mediocrity.
Years ago Jim Collins asked a great question that should still haunt every leader: What can you be best in the world at?
How would you answer that?
Just because you can’t be great at everything doesn’t mean you can’t be great at anything.
The key is to isolate the principles or points that resonate most.
You may not be the best preacher in the world, but what aspect of your preaching connects best?
Your stories?
The way you make the complex simple?
How you handle scripture?
Your relatability?
The personal connection you create with your audience?
Discover what connects best and develop that.
Musically, you may not have a great band…but do you have a
-fantastic vocalist?
-great keyboardist?
-solid guitar player?
-good DJ?
Focus on what makes you great.
And no, you don’t have an unlimited budget, but meaningful connection with other people is free. So is kindness. So is hope.
Stop being mediocre at everything.
Pick a lane, and go deep.
You can branch out from there.
In an age where people create amazing art, design, products and services from home-based businesses, mediocrity is no longer an effective strategy.
Some Help for Your Team?
If you want some deeper insight into how to help your church grow and navigate the changing culture, my book Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Will Help Your Church Grow may help.
I also created a Lasting Impact Team Edition video series to help pastors and their teams walk through the issues that are keeping a lot of churches from healthy growth.
What Do You See?
What parts of our model of doing church do you see as being outdated?
This article originally appeared here.
