As Southern Baptists, we understand the importance of ministry programming. We have a program for everything. It is fair to say that ours is a program-heavy denomination. When I use the term “program”, I am referring to the plans or structures used to reach, educate, and engage specific ministry audiences. Programs such as Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, VBS, Missions, Sunday School, Discipleship Training, Evangelism, Church Music, and WMU were designed to integrate children, youth, adults, and senior adults into the life of the church. None of them is inherently bad. Add to the mix para-church ministries, such as AWANA, Upward, FCA, Samaritan’s Purse, and Cru, that seek to further engage God’s people in ministry, and you can soon have more programs than you can effectively supervise and administer. When you add a third layer of activity, such as corporate worship, Bible study, internal fellowships, and special holiday services, the pace within the church can become dizzyingly difficult to maintain – not to mention the challenges of financing, staffing, and publicizing these activities.

One of the books I have recently re-read is Barry Schwartz’s ” The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less.” He advocates that whether we’re buying a pair of shoes, ordering a cup of coffee, selecting an insurance company, or deciding on which college to attend, everyday decisions—both big and small—have become increasingly complex due to the over-abundance of choice with which we are presented. He believes that too many choices lead to two pitfalls: decision paralysis and regret. Decision paralysis occurs because we are overwhelmed with all the options, resulting at times in no decision at all. If we manage to navigate the paralysis and make a decision, regret lurks in the background, calling into question whether our choice was the correct one. His work led me to consider the busyness of our churches today. Furthermore, his work has prompted me to reevaluate my own approach to church ministry. If Schwartz is correct, the same two pitfalls (paralysis and regret) exist for churches having too many programs and activities.

Decision paralysis. In church ministry, a plethora of programs and activities make the next step unclear. In churches today, many things are presented as “opportunities for involvement” or “points of connection.” At times, it becomes hard to keep up with the barrage of announcements unloaded in a 3-4-minute window. As the number of opportunities increases, the likelihood that people will decide to do any of them decreases. How many times have you been shopping for a big-ticket item (car, furniture, television, etc.) and had to walk away due to an overwhelming number of options? Church members face the same dilemma when navigating the choices they are presented with. When multiple events are scheduled on the same day or at the same time, this paralysis becomes even more intense.

Regret. An overabundance of programs, activities, and opportunities can increase the busyness of a church but also lower confidence in what is offered. If everything is important, nothing is important. When people go to A, they likely wonder if they should have gone to B. When people choose C, they often wonder if D would have been a better choice. How many times have you purchased a big-ticket item, taken it home, and begun to wonder if “the other one” would have been better or more enjoyable? This regret is commonly referred to as buyer’s remorse.

I have always advocated for a “more is better” approach to ministry because that is what I have been taught in 25 years of pastoral ministry – programs are the answer to the church’s problems. Based on recent ministry observations and conversations with various individuals, I am learning that more is not always better; it’s just more. I am learning that programs can sometimes cause problems within the church.  I am learning that such a fast pace and aggressive approach is challenging to maintain. Churches can’t do everything excellently. When the church attempts to become all things to all people, offering every conceivable program, it can become wide and not deep. The downside of having too many choices in the church is that activities can pull people away from relationships and family, and away from living out their mission in the world around them. I am learning that activity does not equal spiritual transformation.

There is another side of this discussion that needs addressing, which makes the balancing act that much harder. The lack of programming and activities may be perceived negatively by some as a sign of a lack of passion, care, or vision. This perception is heightened when comparisons are made with other churches that have more activity and programming. Church leaders feel pressure to perhaps busy themselves and the church for the sake of appearance rather than ministering from the point of calling and burden. I know this pressure is real.  

Before I am accused of saying something I did not say, I want to clarify that I am not opposed to ministry programs and church activities. I do, however, believe that church leadership must know the body and its ministry context, then utilize the necessary programming and the appropriate level of activity. Imagine for a moment your vehicle is in the repair shop to have the alternator replaced. The mechanic may have an extensive collection of tools at his disposal. That doesn’t mean that they will use every single tool in the box on your repair – only the necessary ones. Ministry programs are only tools. They are a means to an end – the spiritual transformation and development of God’s people. To avoid decision paralysis and regret, and to bring about genuine transformation, a “less is more” approach may be necessary. What do you think?