Decisions

If you serve in ministry at any level, you have likely been faced with making decisions.  Sometimes, these decisions can be easy, and other times they can be hard.  Depending on the situation, decisions can carry a great amount of weight and impact.  Granted, all decisions impact somebody, but some tend to impact more than others.

Have you ever struggled to make certain decisions in your leadership?  Maybe you find it hard to weigh the risks and rewards of those decisions, or maybe your struggle is that you don’t consider any of that until after making the decision.  Some of us look before we leap, and others of us leap and then look later. 

No matter how you are wired, you will have to make decisions when leading others in ministry.  So, I am going to suggest 2 Simple Questions to use as filters for your decisions, moving forward. 

There are all sorts of things to consider when making decisions.  The reason (the “why”) for the decision; the people involved; the people affected; the resources required; the risks involved; the potential for impact; the essentials; the effectiveness of the decision; the plans B, C and D in case the decision needs adjustment; the ultimate goal of the decision; the amount of time it takes to implement ideas; and of course, who actually makes the final call.

All of these, and more, are great things to consider when making decisions.  For those with a strategic mind, it is actually a fun process to work through these considerations when making decisions.  But I want to suggest 2 Simple Questions that can sometimes be overlooked in the decision-making process for ministry, and I hope they help you lead like Jesus in your next opportunity. 

Here they are:

1.      What does God say about this?

This might sound like an old-school church question right out of the gate, but think about it:  how often do we work to make decisions in ministry and accidentally jump right past the starting line of God’s Word and His leading in our lives?

Have you considered what God says about it?  Are you leaning in to His Word as a lighthouse for steering you closer to the destinations you believe God has for you when you make decisions?  Are you talking with Him?  Have you prayed about it? 

2.     What is the Wise thing to do?

I have learned (the hard way more often than I’d like to admit) there can be a difference between what we want, and what is wise.  Your preferences might not always be the best for your ministry.  Wisdom requires us to take the path that brings us and others closer to God.  This is not always the path we want to travel, but it is the best one to be on.  Are you seeking Godly counsel from those who walk with Jesus?  Smart people learn from smarter people; and wise people ask wiser people.  Seek God and Godly others before, during and after your decisions.  Wisdom will pay off, I promise.

These are just 2 Simple Questions to help you lead like Jesus in your decision-making process.  As always, I hope it’s helpful.