Starting a new ministry
Starting a new ministry can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can also be unpredictable, frustrating and take a lot of time and energy. Remember, right at the outset, that if God is leading you to start something new, he will be with you every step of the way.
Thinking of starting a new ministry?
'Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight' (Proverbs 3:5,6).
Starting a new ministry can be an exciting and rewarding experience. It can also be unpredictable, frustrating, and takes a lot of time and energy. Remember, right at the outset, that if God is leading you to start something new, he will be with you every step of the way.
Does the ministry meet a need?
Before starting a new ministry, it is important to consider whether it meets a true need in your community. Here are some questions you could ask.
- Is the need real or imagined? Is there any data that you can gather? Through a survey, for example.
- Is it a general need or simply being championed by a few vocal people? One or two passionate people can sometimes push something through that really isn’t supported by the rest of the congregation. When those people lose interest, the ministry dies.
- Is it a need you can meet? Can the ministry offer a meaningful or effective way to meet the need? There will always be more needs to address.
- Is the need already being met elsewhere? There may already be another church or local organisation offering something similar. Maybe a partnership is a better idea. Your support could be more effective than creating a competing program.
- Is there something you should stop in order to start this? You don’t want to overstretch your resources. Maybe a ministry isn’t working effectively or has run its course that you could stop doing as you think about starting something new.
Tips for starting a new ministry
Leadership is critical to the success of any ministry, but especially a new ministry. You will need to be more than a passionate person to lead a new endeavour. For a new ministry to be successful, leaders must do lots of planning and work. Below are some important things that leaders will need to consider.
Establish support
Don’t do it by yourself. Build and develop a team who will go on the journey with you. Look for people who will share your passion and vision for the ministry you are proposing. Spend time meeting with them and getting to know them and their heart for ministry. It's important to have good support, especially in the beginning stages.
Mission and vision
Determine your ministry's mission and vision. Make sure it is aligned with the overall mission and vision of the congregation or parish. Knowing your purpose is one of the most important things to do when starting a ministry. If you don’t have a purpose, you won’t know if you’ve achieved it. What are your goals? What group of people will be your ministry target? Incorporate your ministry focus into the name of the ministry if possible.
Develop a ministry plan
A solid ministry plan built on sustained prayer and practical strategies will outlast a great idea fuelled by zeal. Don’t just talk about what you want to do. Write down your goals and the strategies you will use to achieve them. Be practical. What do we need to do this? Where will we get the resources? How much will it cost? What can we do to fundraise? Who else do we need to involve? A ministry plan is your working document.
Establish a timeline
Set deadlines or milestones for building your team, doing the groundwork, raising your budget, launching your ministry, etc. Give yourself plenty of time to complete each step before moving to the next. Track your progress and communicate it to your prayer team and congregation or parish. Strong launches outlast faster launches.
Communicate
Communicate as much as possible to let people in your congregation and parish know you are starting a ministry. You may even get people involved that you haven’t thought of. When the time is right, advertise and promote the ministry in as many ways as possible – website, social media, fliers, bulletins and announcements.
Review and improve
Once you launch your new ministry, the real work begins. Now you get to do what you’ve been planning for so long, which is exciting. You also have the opportunity to review, improve and make necessary changes. Don’t wait until something goes wrong to evaluate the ministry. Schedule regular reviews. Be proactive about getting people together to celebrate, share what you’ve learned and talk about changes that can help to improve your new ministry.
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