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Live, Let Die, or Put to Death?
Posted by
Bob Fetherlin
,
13 February 2007
·
625 views
We as evangelicals tend to be quick in launching new initiatives, seeking to advance the cause of Christ. Our motives are good. We invest time and energy in these new efforts hoping they'll work well. Every local church, every ministry has a track record over time of lots of these initiatives.
While I'm grateful for them, I think we need to ask a hard question a year or two down the road (with on-going evaluation thereafter) after a new initiative is birthed. Is it working? Is the intended impact being realized? If not, what do we do?
Whether a ministry initiative is working or not, do we too often allow it to live on without accountability? My observation is we usually either fail to ask this question or ask it years too late. If an initiative is not working, we need to ask why . . . and either change it so that it's moving toward fruitfulness as originally intended or lovingly put it to rest.
Some may argue, "Killing an initiative is inappropriate. Be gracious by letting it die a natural death."
For me, the most gracious and loving response to a well-intended effort that's ineffective is to face it honestly. Rather than continuing to use Kingdom resources in ways that make little or no difference, why not look for the most strategic ways to invest them? This may mean the most godly response is to put to death (with as much sensitivity to those concerned as possible) an initiative that just isn't working thereby freeing up people, time, and money for more effective investment. This in my thinking is what God-honoring stewardship is all about!
To interact with Bob Fetherlin about this idea, e-mail him at makeover@cmalliance.org.
While I'm grateful for them, I think we need to ask a hard question a year or two down the road (with on-going evaluation thereafter) after a new initiative is birthed. Is it working? Is the intended impact being realized? If not, what do we do?
Whether a ministry initiative is working or not, do we too often allow it to live on without accountability? My observation is we usually either fail to ask this question or ask it years too late. If an initiative is not working, we need to ask why . . . and either change it so that it's moving toward fruitfulness as originally intended or lovingly put it to rest.
Some may argue, "Killing an initiative is inappropriate. Be gracious by letting it die a natural death."
For me, the most gracious and loving response to a well-intended effort that's ineffective is to face it honestly. Rather than continuing to use Kingdom resources in ways that make little or no difference, why not look for the most strategic ways to invest them? This may mean the most godly response is to put to death (with as much sensitivity to those concerned as possible) an initiative that just isn't working thereby freeing up people, time, and money for more effective investment. This in my thinking is what God-honoring stewardship is all about!
To interact with Bob Fetherlin about this idea, e-mail him at makeover@cmalliance.org.
