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What’s Up? Let’s be honest: Starting something new in ministry is far easier than shutting something down. Most churches are suffering because they don’t have dead ministry strategies.
So What? Churches and pastors often cling to outdated programs and strategies that are long past their expiration dates. It’s comfortable. It’s familiar. But if a ministry effort isn’t producing fruit, it’s time to stop flogging a dead horse and move on.
The Point Is:
Set a Minimum Acceptable Outcome (MAO).
Define a clear, measurable goal. Not a feeling. Not a vague hope. Numbers. How many visitors? How many new members? How many actual results? If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.
Put a Timeframe on It.
Don’t let a failing effort drag on indefinitely. Set a reasonable deadline for hitting your MAO. Put it on the calendar, so you have a clear checkpoint for evaluation.
Plan a Midway Course Correction.
At the halfway point, step back and analyze the data. Are you on track? If not, tweak the approach, but don’t change the goal. Moving the goalposts is a surefire way to institutionalize ineffectiveness.
Make the Tough Call at the Deadline.
If, at the GO/NO-GO date, the results don’t meet the standard, it’s time to pull the plug. Stop pouring time and energy into something that isn’t working. Redirect your focus to strategies that bear fruit.
And …? Take Pastor B. A year ago, he decided to target empty nesters … a solid choice for his church’s demographics. To connect, he started hanging out at the local Senior Center. Good idea in theory. But six months in? Not a single new guest. And yet, a full year later, he’s still there. He “knows” his audience is there, but the results should be screaming, “It’s an unfruitful pond. Move on!”
Ministry isn’t about good intentions. It’s about effective action. If your strategy isn’t bringing results, it’s not noble to persist. it’s just stubborn. Jesus told His disciples to shake the dust off their feet when a town didn’t receive them (Matt. 10:14). He didn’t say to sit in the marketplace hoping something would change.
Action! Evaluate one ministry program this week. Is it producing results? If not, set an MAO, a deadline, and a midway checkpoint—then make the tough call when the time comes.
