Recently my kids have introduced me to the board game “Settlers of Catan”. I think it should be required for anyone in ministry. For those of you who are not familiar with the game, I would describe it as a combination Risk, Monopoly, and Tetris. the games begins with you determining a strategy for winning the game. All of your decisions at the beginning of the game are based on that strategy. As the game progresses and other people interfere with your strategy, you must adapt and adjust accordingly. Your strategy has to constantly change throughout the game based on your actions and the actions of other players.
In the course of over 30 years of ministry spanning 4 states and 4 very different types of ministries, I see numerous parallels to this game. When I began in ministry, I had a number of plans, visions, and goals as to what I wanted to accomplish with my life. Through different life events, I have had to adapt and change. The desires of my heart remain the same, but they have been “fleshed” out in ways that I never imagined.
I think it is important that as leaders, we realize that we have to be willing to adapt and change as God leads. In “Settlers”, you are constantly evaluating and adjusting to reach your goal of winning the game. In ministry, you must be willing to do the same. I am not suggesting that we compromise our core foundational beliefs. But I am suggesting that we have to be willing to change our approach to how we do ministry.
In my current ministry we are in the middle of this process. We are currently evaluating our original plans for growth. We now find ourselves looking into other options and directions. We are in the process of adjusting our paths and procedures while maintaining a clear focus on our end goal which has never changed.
THOT – Have you gotten to the point in ministry where you are so focused on the plan or the path, that you have lost sight of your real goal? Are you willing to consider other ways or paths to accomplish your goals? Could you be missing a new direction and opportunity because you are unwilling to change your original plans? I have never won the game “Settlers of Catan” without changing and adapting my strategy to the players around me. Could your current ministry strategy be holding your ministry back?
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