How To Create Ministry Space
In my work as part of the Team at Cogun, Inc. we talk a lot about helping ministries create the right ministry space. It is because of this principle:
“We shape our buildings and then our buildings shape us.”
Say a church feels led to feed the homeless in a poverty-stricken area of the city and they have the resources to design a new building. It would make no sense to design a set of racquetball courts. They would need an industrial kitchen with ample space for tables and chairs, etc…
We shape our priorities and then our priorities shape us
Same is true when creating the right personal “ministry space” - you know, what’s going on inside our own temple. Mind space. Emotional space. Time margin. Financial margin. These are all components of personal ministry space. When any of these are out of alignment we can’t serve with strength. We are trying to fit the proverbial “lunch for the homeless into a racquetball court.”
Take inventory of your personal “ministry space” (here are three ideas to get you started on your “design”):
Deal with any unforgiveness or resentment in your heart once and for all. Seek professional help if necessary.
Add up all the time you waste online at the expense of your critical responsibilities and ask someone to hold you accountable.
Review the amount of money you spend each month versus what you take in. Develop a spending plan.
What are ways you ensure enough “ministry space” to do what God calls you to do?

I am a morning person so I create space early for personal time (QT & the Y) and then office time to study. once the secretary gets here and things start happening my study time is toast.
Sounds nice, Bill. I’m a morning person wannabe. I love it when I can get up early and feel ahead of the game. I’m just more creative when the house is quiet at night.
I think something else is a design team. Have a group of Men that help you with your design so that you get your blind-spots covered. Also – when doing churches and the same would be true of life – you need experts. You need a sound expert, media expert, someone who knows seating, and so forth so in my mind it only makes sense to do the same with your life.
Just my two cents – I would have given more but my financial expert said I could only afford two cents
Jim F recently posted..Leap Tall Buildings
Jim – what an excellent thought! Architects, qualified and licensed in their areas of concentration. A financial planner, a counselor, a coach, a teacher/mentor… these are all excellent examples of a design team.
Nice addition.
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Great suggestions. One thing I do is start my day off with scripture reading and prayer. It helps put everything in the proper perspective. Thanks Scott.
jasonS recently posted..Your Most Trusted Advisor
That’s one of the things my Accountability Network is helping me maintain – first thing in am, read a psalm and spend time simply listening to God.
How To Create Ministry Space…
[...]Financial margin. These are al components of personal ministry space. When any of these are out of alignment we[...]…
I will confess this is something God (and my wife
) have been working with me on lately. It is way too easy to get caught up “doing” ministry and let the other things in life slide. Thank you for the challenging post.
Rev. Gerald Collins recently posted..The Good Soil