Every leader knows it is one thing to start strong and another thing to stay strong. The real test of ministry is not in how you begin but in whether you build something that lasts.

At VOUSCon 2025, Pastors Todd Mullins, Philip Anthony Mitchell, and worship leader Abbie Gamboa reminded us that longevity in the church is not built on convenience but on covenant. It is easy to get excited in a moment. It is much harder to stay faithful through seasons of difficulty, disappointment, and conflict.

Pastor Todd Mullins spoke about the reality of “people pain.” Every leader experiences it. People will disappoint you. Teams will fracture. Friends may leave. But as he reminded us, Jesus surrounded himself with imperfect people and never lost sight of his mission. Disappointment in people will always try to push us away from our appointment in God. Faithfulness keeps us on course.

Abbie challenged us with the idea of longevity. If God has not told you to leave, you do not have permission to go. Covenant community means staying planted, showing up, and choosing faithfulness even when it costs you.

Pastor Philip Anthony Mitchell put words to what many of us know but do not always want to face: you cannot become your best self by yourself. Maturity is formed in community, and that includes the pain of conflict. Every time you work through it instead of running from it, you build character and your church grows stronger.

The temptation is to build fast, to build flashy, or to build what looks successful on the surface. But what matters most is building something that endures. Churches that are built to last are not perfect churches. They are communities rooted in truth, forged through conflict, and bound together by covenant love.

Watch the full Meeting 3 panel on YouTube with Pastors Todd Mullins, Philip Anthony Mitchell, and Abbie Gamboa.