We have all been there–approaching the end of a project, the end of a long struggle, or the end of a season in the church. Inevitably we ask, Now what? The simple answer is to finish strong.
Leading the local church is hard enough, but leading when you’re unsure what to do next is challenging. Finishing strong will look different for everyone. But everyone can complete the overall tasks they have been called to and meet them with God’s excellence in mind.
Maybe you are facing an ending season and have been thinking about the next steps. Before you do, why don’t you pause and reflect on these three points.
Complete the Project.
You’ve come to the end of a season of leadership, leading a remodel project, redesigning a program or curriculum, or restructuring the budget, all in an effort to revive the dying local church. You have been working on a major revitalization project for the last few weeks, months, or even years. It has been challenging as you faced significant opposition to your leadership. You have lost friends and members along the way, but you kept moving forward because God had called you to the task. But now, as you complete the job, you feel it is time for a new project or maybe even a new church. Perhaps it is because of exhaustion, or you are tired of fighting. Whatever you are feeling, figure it out. Are you burned out, or have you run out of ideas? Do not miss your God-size blessing because you are served out locally. Going to another assignment or sitting back and doing nothing will not help you revive your spirits. Only God can do that.
Ask yourself a series of questions: What was I called to lead? Have I done my best in leading this project with God and others in mind? Did the task get completed to the best of the church’s and my leadership ability? If you have said yes to all or most of these questions, you have undoubtedly completed the project, and it might be time to move on to the next God thing. I know it’s a lot of questions to reflect on, but your decision to stay or move forward should not be made lightly. A time of prayer, listening to others, asking questions of God and others you value, and seeking peace are components for understanding the next steps. Finding peace in your spirit in the finished project affirms the next step to take.
Complete the Journey.
Church revitalization is challenging, and if we have learned anything since the beginning of this decade, situations can change quickly, sometimes even overnight. But none of this has surprised God. He has seen your efforts, dedication and spiritual perseverance in your work locally. If you are giving up because you are worn out by all that has happened, then do not leave your assignment. You are going for the wrong reasons. The work you have been called to as a gospel minister is not like any other job; it is a lifetime calling. The journey God has called you on is not for the faint of heart. It is challenging yet rewarding all at the same time.
Anyone who has served in church leadership understands the push/pull dynamic over time, but the pain and the promise seem heightened in a revitalization effort. As you reflect on how you feel at the end of the season, consider why you think this way. Is it because the journey is complete, or do you feel incomplete? God does not want you to give up along the journey but to complete the journey before you. Do not fall prey to the greener pastures of another church found through a social media lens. Stay committed to the steps before you until God redirects your steps through the completion of your current assignment. At the end of the day, your reward is not for how many jobs were completed. But how well you completed your jobs. Stay focused on the journey and achieve your calling where you are until he calls you to where you need to be next.
Completely Pray Through.
As you reflect on finishing strong, one element rises above everything else: prayer. Prayer provides clarity of thought, directional peace, and spiritual wisdom as you either double down in staying or moving forward away from your current assignment. Prayer must be the driver of every decision made as you move toward finishing strong. Prayer cannot be flipped but done faithfully alone with God.
Set aside time and space to be with God, reading his Word and capturing the heart of where he wants you to be. It takes intentionality, time, and effort to pray through the decision you are facing ultimately. I wonder how many times I have missed God because I acted on impulse calling it the leading of the Holy Spirit. Do not miss your God moment by not stopping to pray through the decision you are facing today. When you have peace after praying, you have found God’s will for your ministry.
As you find yourself in the space of in-between (projects or assignments), find the time to finish strong in an ending season by completing the projects before you, completing the ministry assignment of your current journey, and praying through this season to finish well.