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8 Questions to Define New Ministries

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As I’ve mentioned before, I didn’t start most of Saddleback’s ministries. They were launched by people in our church who felt called by God to address a particular need they saw.

The job of our staff and me was to help equip those lay leaders to succeed. One way we did that was to help them define their ministries so that the ministries would be more effective.

Ministry is too important for us to do it haphazardly. Eternities hang in the balance. We can’t just say, “I’ll give it my best shot!” Instead, we should think through the ministries we’re launching so they have the best chance to make an impact.

Jesus told his followers to be “as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16 CEV). Jesus expects us to be strategic in our work. That’s why it’s important to walk through the process of defining a ministry with its leaders before you launch it.

These eight questions will help you and your leaders do just that.

1. What does the ministry do?

Every great ministry starts with a clear purpose. If you don’t know what you’re trying to do, you’ll never know if you’ve succeeded. A thriving ministry will define its purpose in a way that answers two key questions:

What are we here to do?
What are we not here to do?

Remember, no ministry can do everything. When you clarify your purpose, you focus your energy on what matters most.

2. What values drive the ministry?

Values are like the DNA of your ministry—they shape every decision and action. Whether you realize it or not, every ministry is driven by values. The question is, are they the right values?

At Saddleback, we learned early on that values shape culture. They define what’s important to us and what makes us unique. For one of our values, we chose humor—taking God seriously but not taking ourselves too seriously. It worked great for our children’s and youth ministries but looked different in our grief support group. That’s okay! The key is to define the values that best fit your ministry.

3. Who are you trying to reach?

Every ministry reaches someone, but no ministry reaches everyone. At Saddleback, we used five concentric circles to define who we were trying to reach: Community, Crowd, Congregation, Committed, and Core.

I’ve always taught that you need to be clear on which group you’re targeting. Are you reaching the unchurched in your community? Or are you helping mature believers grow deeper? Knowing who you’re trying to reach helps you design a ministry that actually connects with them.

4. What is your plan?

Here’s a mistake I see a lot of leaders make: They plan out their strategy before they pray. But Proverbs 16:9 reminds us, “We can make our plans, but the LORD determines our steps” (NLT).

At Saddleback, we taught our leaders to get alone with God, pray, and ask him questions like:

Where do you want this ministry to be in six months?
If nothing was impossible, what could this ministry look like a year from now?

Then, just listen. God’s vision is always bigger than ours.

5. What steps will you take to improve the ministry?

Every ministry needs systems. Just like your body needs systems to function—like your nervous system and circulatory system—your ministry needs systems to grow healthy and strong. Systems bring consistency and scalability. They keep you from reinventing the wheel every week.

Ask yourself:

What systems will help this ministry operate smoothly and effectively?
How can we improve our existing systems to work smarter, not harder?
How will we measure our success and learn from our failures?

When you build effective systems, you build a ministry that lasts.

6. Who do you need on your team?

No ministry is a one-person show. If anyone in history could have built a ministry on his own talents, it was Jesus. Instead, he built a team of 12.

The question your leaders need to ask themselves isn’t, “Who can help?” Instead, they need to ask, “Who has God already prepared to be a part of this ministry?”

Look for people who are passionate about your purpose and who share your values. God will equip those he calls to come alongside you.

7. How will the ministry serve people?

Every ministry exists to serve people in some way. It’s important that ministries understand the core needs they are meeting.

In Luke 2:52, the Bible tells us, “Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men” (NKJV). The four areas of growth seen in the life of Jesus (intellectual/emotional, physical, spiritual, and social) provide a framework for leaders to think about the ways their ministries are helping people grow.

8. How does the ministry fit into your church’s structure?

Every new ministry your church starts should fit into the congregation’s overall structure. At Saddleback, we always asked, “Which of the five purposes does this ministry support—worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, or evangelism?” Ministries that complement the church’s mission have the greatest impact.

Answering these questions will help your ministry leaders get a good grasp of the ministries they’re leading. But remember, the goal isn’t to get busy; it’s to be fruitful. When you define your ministry with clarity, you’ll see God do more than you ever imagined

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Remember God’s Promises When Leadership Feels Heavy

One of the hardest parts of leadership is carrying a God-given assignment while feeling the weight of your own limits. You can run on adrenaline, discipline, and experience for a while. But sooner or later, the pressure of ministry shows you what you’ve really been leaning on.In Joshua 1, God points Joshua to something sturdier than willpower. He did not just hand Joshua a job to do. God gave him promises to stand on. And if Joshua was going to lead faithfully, he had to stay conscious of God’s dependability.God gave Joshua four promises that every pastor needs to hold onto when the work gets tough (as it always will).1. Remember that God promises power.God told Joshua, “No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life” (Joshua 1:5 NIV). That was not a promise that leadership would be easy. It was a promise that God’s power would be enough.Pastor, the assignment in front of you may be bigger than your natural strength. That does not mean you are in the wrong place. It may mean you are right where God wants you—so you can learn again that ministry is sustained by his power, not yours.Do not measure the size of the challenge before you remember the size of your God.2. Remember that God promises protection.God also said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5 NIV). Joshua was not being sent out alone. The presence of God would go with him.That matters because leadership can feel lonely. Criticism is lonely. Big decisions are lonely. Carrying spiritual responsibility is lonely. But if God is with you, you are not abandoned, even when you feel outnumbered.Your safety is not in having a trouble-free ministry. Your safety is in the faithfulness of God.3. Remember that God promises provision.Joshua 1:8 says that obedience leads to a life that is “prosperous and successful” (NIV). That does not mean every ministry grows in the same way. It means God provides what you need to do what he has called you to do.Pastor, God’s provision is not about platform, size, or ego. It is about having God’s hand on your life and ministry. It is being able to say, “By God’s grace, I am becoming who God wants me to be, and I have what I need in order to do what God has asked me to do.”So stay close to God’s Word. Meditate on it. Obey it. Do not pick and choose the parts you like. God’s provision often shows up as you take the next obedient step.4. Remember that God promises his presence.The promise that frames this whole idea is simple: “The LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9 NIV). That is the best promise of all.God does not just give direction. God gives himself. God does not just send leaders into the work. God walks with them in the work.If you are heading into a hard week, that truth changes everything. You may still have the same meetings, the same burdens, and the same unfinished problems. But you do not face them alone.If you’re entering a hard week, do not just admire these promises. Use them.When you feel weak, remember God’s power. When you feel exposed, remember his protection. When the future feels unclear, remember his provision. When leadership feels lonely, remember his presence.Joshua’s success did not begin with self-confidence. It began with God-confidence. And that is still where faithful leadership begins.Pastor, do not build this week on your experience, your energy, or your best instincts alone. Build it on the character of God. God is dependable. So take the next obedient step.

Slow Down and Hear the Hurt

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Four Marks of Holiness From Psalm 24

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Who Is Watching Out for You?

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