Loss is Not Fun
Losing something is never fun, but sometimes it’s necessary. Maybe you disagree because you celebrated pretty wildly when you finally broke up with a significant other that was no longer significant. But the process leading up to the loss wasn’t fun, nonetheless. Or maybe you disagree because you couldn’t wait for your child to lose that dingy, germ-filled blankie. But it may not have been a joyous occasion for your little one.
Loss hurts. But we also know that intentional loss can make the way for tremendous growth. Imagine how limited our enjoyment of music would be if we never moved on from 8-tracks or cassette tapes. Think about transportation! I’m so glad we’ve embraced faster, more efficient vehicles and airplanes. I don’t even want to think about commuting in a one-cylinder engine.
Just as we can easily notice the value of moving on from one way of doing things to better ways of doing them, it makes sense to apply that principle to our ministries.
Changes in Ministry
We have seen it happen over the years, right? Ministries have made various shifts and tweaks in music, architecture, and programming and the amount of engagement has changed for the better. Programs have been added and others taken away, all for greater impact within the community.
But what exactly does that mean for you? Doing something because others are doing it is not the way to go about change. We want to think specifically about our ministries. We want to ask questions like, “What makes the most sense for where we are and what we are trying to achieve?”
Wisely Consider the Benefits of Change
There are many other questions that we need to ask, but the point is having the wisdom to recognize that we need to ask them. Whether we like it or not, there are things we are doing now that will soon become outdated. We would be foolish not to gauge these things in order to make the necessary changes ahead of time.
Think about how much time and money we have saved by sending digital newsletters, instead of printing them. Now we don’t have to watch them wisp around our parking lots after we exit our buildings. If some of us aren’t already doing this, it is time.
There are always ways to improve, so we maximize our impact. Things are always changing. People are always changing. Communities are always changing. What do we need to change? Holding onto yesterday’s approach limits us.
The Stagnant Gets Left Behind
Think about it some more. There are countless successful businesses that started, but are no longer. Blockbuster should have taken over the digital market before Netflix ever had the chance. The same is true for record stores. Forward thinking could have produced the capability to purchase music digitally before iTunes was ever an idea.
So let’s keep our hands to the plow as well as keeping our minds on the future. There is a reason we strategize at Orange. We want to develop an authentic faith in the next generation—causing families to love God and people everywhere.
Our churches play a major role in that! As we continue to invest into our communities, let’s keep a pair of shears handy—ready to prune when necessary.
[bctt tweet=”As we continue to invest into our communities, let’s keep a pair of shears handy—ready to prune when necessary. ” username=”orangeleaders”]
READ MORE LIKE THIS:
https://orangeblogs.org/orangeleaders/2012/02/20/you-arent-alone/
