The Magic Pill Mindset

Have you ever made an impulse buy from those irresistible weight loss ads?  In that weak moment, you purchased it because you could have a flat stomach in six weeks, sharp muscle tone in four weeks or drop 30 pounds in two weeks – all the results, but none of the work. Is there any situation in life when that works out? How long was it before you realized you just wasted those three easy payments of 39.95 (plus shipping and handling) for something that just wasn’t going to work out?

It didn’t work because you wanted a quick fix to a complex issue. Sometimes, we fail to see all the factors that are required to reach the result we want. In this case, weight loss. We know we want to lose weight and get into better shape, but we don’t have a clear vision or strategy of how we’ll get ourselves there. We just want the magic pill for our instant gratification.

Unfortunately, some churches approach building with the “magic pill” mindset: quickly, and with as little effort as possible. Only at the end of that road can they look back and see their wasted time, money and resources.

It’s easy for a growing church to identify the need for more space. What a great thing to need! Thriving ministries have a momentum that must be nurtured and well-cared for – just like the human body. To maintain that health, we have to be disciplined, with a set course in mind. To use our resources well, we have to know them well – what works for another church might not work for yours. Once you set the vision for your church, strategy will get you moving on that path. Out of vision and strategy, your facility needs will be defined by your ministry needs. Just like a personalized health plan, a well-defined vision will work to maintain your momentum and grow your ministry because it will be the right tool for you.