We all have a bubble. I am referring to an area where we’ve never experienced anything larger or greater than our current level of ministry or leadership. In ministry, there will always be a leader, a church, a worship experience, a children’s ministry further along than you in the process. Always.
As leaders, it is critical that we intentionally look for ways to learn from those ahead of us. Your church family may be in a bubble if they’ve never experienced a church other than yours or ahead of yours. Your children’s ministry leaders are in a bubble if they’ve never seen a ministry larger than your own. Exposure to something greater can help your church and staff envision what’s next and inspire them to action. Is there a leader or church further along that you can learn from? Are you at 200? Is there someone running 600 or 1000 who can help you move forward? As the leader, it is imperative that you push your team to break the bubble. Inspiration can come in many forms. Take your team to visit a larger church that is experiencing momentum. Attend a conference together. Visit a theme park for creative inspiration. Learn from others. Be inspired. Keep growing. Don’t be satisfied to keep doing what you’re doing.
As a leader, I’ve had to come to terms with being one of the older guys. It’s easy to get stuck thinking, “This is the way we’ve always done church, worship, class, etc.” In the past, my first response to a new idea was sometimes, “No, that’s probably not going to work.” But I’ve had to break through the bubble, look at things differently, engage others and invite their perspectives. Maybe that’s you. Remember, the bottle neck is always at the top of the bottle. Time to break the bubble!