Most churches don’t know who they are, why they exist, or where they are headed, and they don’t have the foggiest idea how they are going to get there.  It is essential that we clarify our reason for being and our vision. If we hope to be effective, we must communicate these guiding factors and get the powers that be in our churches on board at the same time.

The words church and complication are too often synonymous. In my travels around the country, I am finding that new church plants are commonly being advised that, unless they have several hundred thousand dollars in hand, they dare not start their work. Too many leaders are frozen in their tracks, not knowing where to go in the current maze of complication the church finds itself in.

The church id drowning in a sea of complication. If you find yourself taking 30 minutes to explain a one sentence mission statement, you may have gotten too complicated. If you find yourself pulling into the church parking lot for another scheduled program and you can’t remember why you are doing this, you may have gotten too complicated. If it takes the approval of three committees to order new letterhead, you may have gotten too complicated.

Today’s assignment: Survey your church’s programs and pick out the 10% that you don’t know why you are doing them. Prayerfully consider taking the hard way of simplification and letting them go.