I shouldn’t finish that sentence, because it’s a tad bit inappropriate. Funny. But nevertheless inappropriate.

But procrastination is one of the deadliest things in ministry. At least in my opinion.
I’m a procrastinator. I know that.
However, if, as a church, we want to do something different, something new or improve on certain things, we can’t do it last minute.

Think about your school days. When you start your 20 page systematic theology paper the day before it is due, you’re no longer operating on a creative level or operating in a way where you try to get the best of your thoughts about theology on paper. Instead, you’re in full survival mode, trying to just get 20 pages. And praying earnestly as you write your paper. And cursing yourself for putting it off until the last minute. And also vowing to never do so again.
We’re just in “Oh God, let me finish this and let me get a decent grade” mode.

I think it’s like that in ministry. When we continually do stuff at the last minute, we’re no longer thinking about being effective, no longer thinking about creative ways to reach our students… but we’re just in panic mode thinking “there’s all these kids here for youth time… I just hope we’ll get by today.”
Procrastination is one of our biggest foes for moving forward.

Planning ahead may hurt us a little (mainly because many of us may not operate that way). But that little pain is far better than what happens to our ministry when we constantly procrastinate.
If you feel like you’ve been in a rut or if you feel like your church is “stale” or if you feel like nothing is working or growing… I challenge us to look within ourselves first before we cast off blame to everyone that surrounds us. Although sometimes it is their fault… haha. But a lot of times, it’s something that we can do to spark a change or a breath of fresh air.