We hear about ministry failure many times in the news and think that we are in an age where God no longer exists in many churches. But the truth is that God has always been there and Jesus has always been the foundation. It's just that leadership and people have discounted God's presence and God's move unintentionally, accidentally and unfortunately.
What makes ministries fail? Too many leaders focus on things that they think will cause ministry failure but are things that don't even qualify as problems. They look to protect certain political and negotiable doctrine, keep the interests of deacons and members, or worry about funding and finances.
As important as these things are, there are many other things that are more important and non-negotiable. The over-arching reason why ministries fail is that we remove Jesus from the centre of the church. Ephesians 2:20 says, "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone." Unless Jesus is the chief foundation and cornerstone we rest on, ministries will continue failing.
Here are four of the most common ways that we remove Jesus from the center of a ministry.
No empowering leadership. Jesus was always about leadership development. The lack of leadership development only shows that personalities are the centre of the church, not Jesus. When we make Jesus the center, we will not need to be told to make disciples and empower leaders with vision, purpose and responsibility. 2 Timothy 2:2 tells us, "and what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also."
Valuing rules over relationships. If there's one thing that Jesus taught us to do is to value people. Mark 12:31 says, "The second is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." Sadly, so many church value rules, results and political correctness over Jesus' command to love one another.
Denial of the move of the Holy Spirit. One thing that we are commanded to do is go not in our power, but in the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."
When churches move by their own strength, they run on steam and burn out easily, but to move in the power of Jesus' name and through the leading of the Holy Spirit gives us supernatural boost to not just survive but thrive as ministries.
