Listen, leading a growing church is like trying to change the tires on a moving car while someone’s honking the horn and asking if you’ve seen their keys. It’s beautiful chaos. It’s holy mayhem. And it’s absolutely going to wreck you in the best possible way.
When we first planted our church, I had it all figured out. Or so I thought. I had my vision board, my color-coded calendar, and enough sermon series planned to last until Jesus comes back. I was ready to pastor the heck out of some people. Then God showed up, people started coming, and everything I thought I knew about leadership got tossed out the window faster than last week’s church bulletin.
Here’s the thing nobody tells you about church growth: it doesn’t just add numbers to your attendance—it multiplies the crazy. One week you’re high-fiving because you broke 100, and the next week you’re wondering how you’re going to fit 200 people in a space designed for 150, and why is everyone looking at you like you have the answers?
So here’s what I’ve learned in the trenches, the good, the bad, and the “I need Jesus and a vacation” moments. If you’re in it right now, buckle up. If you’re about to be in it, grab some coffee. You’re going to need it.
1. Growth Will Humble You Faster Than a Toddler in Church
Remember when you used to know everyone’s name? When you could spot a visitor from across the room? When you actually had time to chat with people after service instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off? Yeah, those days are gone, friend.
Growth has a way of showing you exactly how much you don’t know and how little you can actually control. It’s like God’s way of saying, “Hey, remember when you thought you had this pastor thing figured out? Hold my coffee.”
The Real Talk: Stop trying to be Superman. Build a team, delegate like your sanity depends on it (because it does), and accept that you can’t be everyone’s pastor. That’s not failure—that’s wisdom.
2. Your Vibe Becomes Their Vibe (So Check Your Vibe)
You can preach about joy all you want, but if your staff is stressed, your volunteers are burned out, and your leadership team communicates through passive-aggressive emails, people are going to feel that energy. Culture isn’t what you say—it’s what you allow.
I learned this the hard way when someone told me our church felt “tense.” Ouch. Turns out, my stress was contagious, and not in a good way.
The Real Talk: The temperature you set is the temperature everyone else feels. If you’re anxious, they’re anxious. If you’re excited, they’re excited. Lead with the energy you want to see.
3. Systems Aren’t Sexy, but Neither Is Dropping the Ball
I used to think systems were for megachurches with buildings that look like shopping malls. Then we had three first-time visitors slip through the cracks in one week because our follow-up “system” was basically hoping someone would remember to call them. Spoiler alert: nobody did.
Systems aren’t about being corporate—they’re about being consistent. People don’t fall through the cracks when you have something to catch them.
The Real Talk: Start simple. What’s the one thing you want every visitor to experience? Build a system around that. Then build another one. Your future self will thank you.
4. Your Team Needs Your Heart, Not Just Your To-Do List
When things get busy (and they will), it’s easy to turn into a task-dispensing robot. “Hey, can you do this? Thanks. Hey, can you handle that? Great. See you Sunday.” But people didn’t sign up to be your personal assistants—they signed up for ministry.
Your volunteers and staff need to know you see them as people, not just productivity machines. They need to know you care about their families, their struggles, their wins. They need you to be their pastor, not just their boss.
The Real Talk: Invest in relationships before you invest in results. People will run through walls for leaders who genuinely care about them.
5. Prayer Time Isn’t Optional—It’s Oxygen
I know, I know. Another pastor telling you to pray more. But here’s the thing: when everything’s moving at light speed, prayer is usually the first thing that gets pushed aside. “I’ll catch up with God later when things slow down.” Except things never slow down.
You can’t lead from an empty tank. You can’t give what you don’t have. And you definitely can’t sustain growth without the One who’s actually doing the growing.
The Real Talk: Schedule prayer like you schedule everything else. Make it non-negotiable. Your church’s health depends on your spiritual health.
6. Control Is an Illusion—Multiplication Is the Mission
Here’s a hard pill to swallow: you can either control everything or you can grow everything. Pick one. Growth means releasing your grip on things you love and trusting other people to carry them forward. Sometimes they’ll do it differently than you would. Sometimes they’ll do it better. Both are okay.
The goal isn’t to clone yourself—it’s to develop leaders who can lead in their own unique way.
The Real Talk: Find people who are better than you at things you’re holding onto. Then get out of their way and cheer them on.
Don’t Forget to Celebrate the Crazy
Growth is a gift. It’s messy and exhausting and beautiful and overwhelming, but it’s a gift. Don’t get so caught up in managing the chaos that you miss the miracle. God is changing lives. Families are being restored. People are finding Jesus. That’s worth celebrating, even when you’re tired.
Take time to laugh with your team. Celebrate the small wins. Step back and remember why you started this crazy journey in the first place.
The Real Talk: Don’t just build the church—enjoy the church. The joy of ministry isn’t just for the people in the pews—it’s for you too.
Your Turn
What’s the biggest challenge you’re facing in your growing church right now? What’s God teaching you in this season? Hit me up in the comments or shoot me a message. We’re all figuring this out together, and honestly, that’s the best part.
And if this helped you catch your breath for a minute, pass it along to another pastor who might need to hear it. We’re better when we do this together.
Keep leading. Keep growing. Keep trusting the One who started this whole thing in the first place.
Read more articles on Church Growth here – Church Growth Archives – ChurchPlanting.com
Read more blog posts by Jeff Hoglen
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