Equipping Leaders To Multiply

When It’s Just Not Working

Do you have a ministry program at your church that’s just not working?  At one time that program was somebody’s solution to a problem.  At one time it was an idea with promise.  At one time people believed in it enough to put time, energy and resources behind it.  You’ve invested in it but now it just doesn’t seem to be working.  The decision you now face is do I toss it or tweak it?  Before tossing it here are a few questions to think through:

  • Is it a Personnel problem?  Sometimes a program isn’t working right because the wrong person is leading it.
  • Is it a Systems problem?  Often it only takes a simple tweak of a system or a process to make drastic improvements to a program.
  • Is it a Logistical problem?  Perhaps it’s not working because it’s on the wrong night, wrong time, wrong location, too small a space, too large of a space, etc.
  • Is it a Communication problem?  It may be a great program that no one really knows about or understands. 
  • Is it a Competition problem?  Your church may be overprogrammed.  A classic example is the church who has Sunday School and Small Groups.  It’s difficult, if not impossible, to run two programs that are very similar in nature and be successful at both.
  • Is it a DNA problem?  Very often we see a great program that works at another church so we adopt it and try to do it at our church only to find out it really doesn’t fit who we are.

Consider one of the programs that you’re currently frustrated with and run it through these questions.  Should you toss it or tweak it?  What questions would you add to this list?