HOW TO GIVE GOD SPACE IN YOUR MINISTRY

Good leaders have the capacity to move weighty projects across their desks day by day. Nothing wrong with that. But godly leaders also create a culture where God Himself can move in and move mountains any time He wants.

There’s nothing more satisfying than having God show up in the midst of your workday.

I well remember the days following 9/11, when God stirred our staff to pray for the families who lost loved ones, for our nation, and for the world. We prayed at length, with deep compassion and tears. It was possible because we’d heeded God’s call—years earlier—to set aside time to worship Him at the outset of each workday.

Or the board meeting where God expanded our typical time of engaging with Him to an hour and a half. The prayer He fueled—following a Scripture-based exercise—was unexpected and unprecedented for our expanding mission. It was possible because we’d learned to build significant time with God into the front-end of our board meetings.

At a recent department meeting, God broke through again. We intended to spend a half hour in worship, prayer, and relational community, and then tackle our agenda. But as we went around the table, each person shared deeply from their heart. It soon became apparent God wanted us to spend the entire meeting sharing and praying for each other. A whole new level of relational equity was forged that day. Again, it was possible because God taught us to cultivate authentic, close relationships with each other, even as ministry comrades.

5 Ways to Create Space for God in Your Organization

1. Schedule It. Whenever you have regular meetings at your ministry, schedule in God-time—authentic, interactive time with God and each other. Staff with staff, board with staff, staff with volunteers. Wherever two or three are gathered, God is present and desiring relationship.
2. Make it Cultural. Establish a ministry-wide understanding that personally engaging with God throughout the workday is welcomed and encouraged. We call them life-giving rhythms—small portions of time spent with God for reflection and replenishment.
3. Model it. As leaders who do move weighty projects day by day, we can neglect honoring God and calling on His strength. Keep God central in your mind, your heart, and in your personal practice at the ministry. And when He moves in an unusual way, step aside and let Him lead.
4. Encourage it. Our default this side of heaven is to keep our noses to the grindstone. Your staff want to produce for you and the ministry. So keep reminding everyone of the supreme value of honoring God and being the body of Christ together, and give people the freedom to invest in those relationships.
5. Celebrate it. I love the rendering of Acts 2:6 in the King James Version, where it says that news of what God did at Pentecost was “noised abroad.” When God meets you, your staff, or your board in a special way, noise it abroad! Share it with each other. He’s worth celebrating!

God is certainly capable of breaking into our ministries in remarkable ways, regardless of whether we’re actively honoring Him. But when I consider the 13 years before God taught us to engage with Him and the 20 years after—there’s no comparison. God’s presence and movement in our midst now is exponentially greater.

God is always worthy of worship. He deserves top billing in our ministry meetings, relationships, and priorities. Make space for God in your ministry, and He will come.

“Make space for God in your ministry, and He will come.”

- Lisa Hosler

What’s one way you’ve experienced God “showing up” in your ministry? Feel free to share your experience in the Comment Section below.