Ecclesiastes 3:2 reminds us that there is “a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted.”
Is that true in ministry programs as well, even legacy ministries? I believe the answer is a clear “yes.” While the Great Commission doesn’t change, and the elements of faithful and effective ministry remain steadfast, there are programs and ministries in local churches and Christian non-profits that run their course and are no longer needed.
When pastors, elders and ministry leaders discover those programs, we must give intentional and careful leadership in bringing them to a close.
But how do we know when it is time to let a ministry or a program go? Here are four considerations for thinking through whether a ministry or a program has run its course:
1. People are voting with their feet: I heard recently about a church that runs a bus ministry, which years ago was a successful outreach for the church. Over the years, however, participation declined. The church continues to send out several buses on Sunday mornings, but only picks up a handful of kids. That program needs to either be improved or ended. When people no longer participate in what the church or ministry organization is offering, leaders need to determine if the program remains valuable. A failure to do so will wear out volunteers and demoralize the congregation.
2. The work outweighs the benefit: One phrase we occasionally hear about the value of a service provided asks, “Is the juice worth the squeeze?” In other words, is the fruit from this program worth the work that goes into it. That question should be asked by every pastor, elder and ministry leader about everything their team does. Why? Because we have limited time, limited energy and limited resources, and we want to make the most of every opportunity. If we are leading a ministry that does not provide gospel-advancing impact, we need to be clear-eyed about whether to continue that service.
3. Everyone else already knows: One of the toughest realities about letting a program or a long-time ministry die is when everyone else already knows it has outlived its prime impact. It feels embarrassing to think that people have been aware of the demise of a ministry before you, the leader, became convinced. Unfortunately, those closest to the ministry or program may not recognize its decline because we love the things we do, or because we were not soliciting or receiving helpful feedback. At any rate, when everyone else already knows, then it is probably time to shut it down.
4. You want to do something new: We all have a limited capacity. There are only so many things a church or non-profit ministry can do and do well. Sometimes ministry programs that are not as effective as they once were may need to die so that new things can be tried. One way to evaluate your ministry programs is to use a grading scale of A, B and C. C’s need to be dropped, B’s need to be improved and A’s need to be promoted. While there are certainly ministries a church must do whether they are effective or not, evaluating their impact can help us improve upon them.
Paul the Apostle exhorts us in Colossians 3:23, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” Jesus deserves our very best, and that includes leading well when some ministries need to be concluded so that more effective ones can begin.
