Toolbox For Faith

I received an email last week from a former member who among a variety of things thanked me for “the excellent advice that you shared with us at a meeting shortly after you became pastor.” Luckily, she shared what I had said because I was not certain what she was talking about. She quoted me as saying, “If you have a new idea that you want accomplished in your congregation, find a champion for the idea and do not give it to a standing committee.”

That sure sounded like something I would say. Over the years, I have learned that standing committees are designed for ongoing programs that have already been developed but new ideas require one champion or a small team led by people who are passionate about the idea to develop the program. Committees have their hands full doing what they have accepted as responsibilities. That means that when a new idea is presented, most often the new idea is put on the back burner.

A new idea prospers when one champion or a small group of champions take responsibility for making sure that the new idea becomes reality. People with a passion for the task will make it happen. Once all the groundwork has been done, most times you can pass it on to a standing committee to keep it functioning if it needs to be more than a one time event or happening. Have a great idea? Find a champion or a small group with a passion for the new project to make it reality.