No organization or ministry drifts toward simplicity. Complexity is a byproduct of structure and systems. The more you do, the more you must fight to keep things simple.
Now is a great time to get to the root of simplicity in your ministry.
It Begins With You
You have control over simplifying your schedule and where to invest your focus. What three things will make the most impact in your ministry? What does it take to do those things well? Simplify your schedule so those things can happen during the first part of the week. Make the most of the first part of the day. Shut the door, silence your phone and device, and focus for 90 minutes on your main project.
If you’d like to brush up on the skills of simple focus and accomplishment, I recommend the following books and blog posts:
- Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success In A Distracted World by Cal Newport
- The Power of Off: The Mindful Way to Stay Sane in a Virtual World by Nancy Colier
- Digital Minimalism: Choosing a Focused Life in a Noisy World by Cal Newport
- Deep Work: Getting Valuable Things Done in a Distracted World (blog post)
- What Does It Mean to Choose High Quality Leisure? (blog post)
Develop Simple Systems
Fight to keep your systems simple. As Craig Groeschel says, “Kill a rule, cut a meeting, remove a step, and empower a person.” Make your systems as simple as possible.
Trust Your Leaders And Tell Them So
You have your team in place. Trust them. Tell them (and remind them) that they can make decisions to do what’s best for their areas. While you need to encourage collaboration and sign off on things with a larger impact, don’t get stifled waiting for each team member to check with you.
Look For Other Ways To Simplify
Be on the lookout for ways to simplify. Use fewer words, fewer website menu items, fewer programs in your church, and less promotion. Leave a little earlier, trusting God to fill the gaps in your work so you can keep things simple at home. Ask yourself, how else can I simplify?
We’re not against hard work, but focusing on a few simple things helps you make more inroads than trying to do it all.
Getting simple and staying simple is no easy task, but the rewards are worth it.
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