Our focus determines our direction. As our teams, churches, and organizations grow, we have to make sure we keep our sights focused on the right things. Our priorities have to be in order if we want to steward the growth that’s coming our way.
At the time of this article, we’re coming off of an incredible Easter weekend. We’re celebrating everything God did and our team is blown away by the growth we’ve seen. We're not celebrating man, we are honoring God, and learning to steward what He has entrusted us with. Our job is not the outcome, but rather obedience.
Whether growth is slow and steady or coming at you fast, direction is always more important than speed. As we’ve grown over the years, there are four priorities we maintain when it comes to managing growth.
1. Message Over Methods
It doesn’t matter if we are moving from 10 people to 20 or 10,000 to 20,000 – the message of our church never changes. The main thing will always stay the main thing. While our message remains the same, methods will have to change to accommodate growth. The systems that worked for an organization of 10 won’t work for 500. Day one strategy won’t maintain a year five return. Maintaining the message protects from division and confusion while promoting the same prevents confusion and division among your team.
Whether you manage a church, business, or organization, this is why establishing values is so important. No matter how much we scale, values keep us grounded and focused, and help inform what systems can change and what elements are non-negotiable. At VOUS, we have staff values and church values – click to read more about each.
2. Unity Over Numbers
We like to say that we count people because people count. There is nothing wrong with tracking numbers and data. It allows us to track milestones, set goals, and make informed decisions. But growing in numbers is not the primary goal – unity is. As numbers grow, the need for unity grows, too.
Behind every impactful organization is a unified group of people, and it starts from the top down. Unified leaders mean unified teams, and unified teams mean faster progress in the right direction. Unity maintains the quality and culture behind what we do as we grow. It keeps the heart the same while maximizing talent, utilizing strengths, and sharing responsibilities.
3. Flexibility Over Fixed
The greatest enemy of change is a fixed mindset. How many of us know that change usually leads to more change? As church attendance grows, teams grow, and so does our impact. And with every season of growth comes the need for flexibility.
A growth mindset sees change before it comes. Strong leaders are flexible and lead adaptable teams. We establish systems, run the play, get feedback, and make adjustments as needed. One of the most useful skills we can develop is the ability to welcome challenges. It’s in the changes that we are stretched, strengthened, and solidified for the season ahead.
4. Faithfulness Over Success
At the heart of it, we are not interested in building a successful church – we’re after a faithful one. Chasing numbers and seeking fame will lead us in a direction we don’t want to go. Our posture is one of humility, grateful that we get to steward the growth God has placed in our hands while also recognizing that the more we hold, the more faithfulness is required.
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Keeping priorities straight in times of growth is key. One small deviation doesn’t seem like a big deal in the moment, but it changes our direction over time, and we’ll find ourselves on a completely different path than we intended to be. If growth is slow or not where you want it to be, choose to stay faithful with what’s in your hands. Wherever you are on the spectrum of growth, know that we are walking with you. We don't walk this journey alone — let's champion each other as we stay consistent and committed to doing what God has called us to do.
