Unusual Thinking to Grow Your Ministry

Jesus often gave odd advice.  If he were employed as a consultant or life coach, he probably would have been fired several times.  When confronted with weighty issues, Jesus often flipped logic on its head and gave what appeared to be counterintuitive guidance.  A few examples:

• If you want to gain your life, you must first lose it.
• If you want to become the greatest, you must become the least.
• Great big faith is the size of a mustard seed.
• The widow who put in a mite is richer than all of you.
• In order to conquer death, I’m going to let people kill me.
• I must die so that you may live.

There is a lesson for church leaders in the counterintuitive manner in which Jesus often dispensed advice.  In church work, the best answer is often not the most obvious or logical one.  Unusual thinking helps.

Logic says: Get more members/disciples by creating more programs
Unusual Thinking says: Program focused churches do not grow.

Logic says: Think big to grow big.
Unusual Thinking says: Think small to grow big.

Logic says: If we keep our members happy, they will attend church more and we will grow.
Unusual Thinking says: Keeping members happy leads to a slow death.

Logic says: We should do what the successful church down the street is doing.
Unusual Thinking says: That won’t work.

Logic says: People will give more money if they are kept happy.
Unusual Thinking says: Money follows mission and vision, not happy people

Anyone sitting around your staff or volunteer leadership table can offer a logical opinion.  Your job as a leader in the church is to encourage unusual thinking to reveal the best options and then champion the direction you are headed.  
    
What unusual thoughts are you thinking for your church?  Let me know!