Clearly Define Your Mission - Mike Winger  Welcome to Episode 9 of the Mission Driven Budget Podcast!  Rate and review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.  Check out the Mission Driven Budget Blog.   Connect with Mike Instagram: @mwinger87 Email: [email protected] Visit Mosaic Christian Church in Elkridge, Maryland! Links From This Episode: Stop It! - Bob Newhart Notes From This Episode: A clearly defined mission governs why AND how your church does ministry. If your mission doesn't influence how you're doing ministry, your mission is too vague. For example, Mosaic filters the songs they sing so people who don't go to church can connect with the lyrics and not get lost in a barrage of Christian lingo. Avoid picking up people's passion projects by turning the ownership back to them. It's not your church organization's responsibility to subsidize every potential ministry - it's the responsibility of the people IN your church to pursue that passion. Maybe have that person research a few organizations that your church can partner with (not build a whole new ministry). Or, have that person start a mid-week group that supports the demographic they are passionate about. Church leadership is called to equip people to do the work of ministry. Equip them and send them out. Consistency turns into laziness when you refuse to change something that isn't working anymore. You can refresh things that are working so they can work even better without sacrificing consistency. Lead with questions. Some conversations with staff can be tough, but don't start with "Stop It!" Start by asking questions to understand not only what they're thinking, but why they're thinking it. What are their values? What are their beliefs? WHY do they believe that way? Deal with the root of the issue and save yourself and your staff a lot of frustration. "People often overestimate their productivity in one day. They also underestimate their productivity in one year." Consistency requires long-term sacrifice for long-term gain. We say "No," to good things so we can say, "Yes," to the things that accomplish our goals. Don't pack as much as you can do into one day. Pace yourself over long periods of time and you'll find you can accomplish much more than a few fast-paced weeks that leave you burned out.