Being Busy v. Being Productive

by Ben Sandin

I know very few pastors who are not busy. Sure, there may be some pastors or leaders who are milking the clock and coasting toward retirement, but not many. Most pastors have a genuine sense of calling to the church and the people they serve. They have a servant’s heart and are willing to go above and beyond to serve God’s people. There is however an important distinction between being busy and being strategically productive. The short-term, day-to-day demands on a pastor’s time can, if allowed, be overwhelming. But if the long-term challenges are not addressed adequately then pastors and leaders will be busy each day until the church closes its door. Simply put, being busy is not a sign of faithfulness for a leader. It is far more important to balance the short-term needs of the congregation, while working toward long-term strategies that create a viable pathway for the future.

Begin with Listening

The beginning of working for long-term effectiveness begins with a strategic listening campaign within the congregation. This can be done any time during a pastor or leader’s tenure, but it is most effective at the beginning. There is no way to sugarcoat the reality: a listening campaign is a lot of work. Each 1-1 interview will take 45-60 minutes and depending on the size of the congregation this could take up to three months. This is time taken away from all the other pastoral duties and from one’s family. Some will try to substitute town hall meetings or small group discussions for 1-1s, but this is in vain. The level of vulnerability and openness generated through 1-1 listening cannot be replicated in any other form, and the breadth of input from the congregation will be narrow rather than wide. A strategic listening campaign will build genuine trust and provide high levels of information that is deep and raw. The good news is no one expects the new pastor to do much in the first few months anyway except fumble their way around the building. Preach well, do 1-1s, and the rest will be fine.