Analogy

Anchored a mile into the Boston Harbor, the USS Issue Identified was burning. It was a large eighteenth-century tall ship and it had suddenly caught fire almost an hour ago.

Gathered on the shore near the Boston Community Marina, Daniel Churchman watched as the smoke from the USS Issue Identified billowed upward. There was now a crowd of around twenty to thirty people that had formed near the water’s edge watching the scene in disbelief. Some expressed sorrow and shock, while others pitied the nearly one hundred people who were thought to be aboard the ship; still others spoke angrily about the captain of the vessel. The five people nearest Daniel Churchman were members of his local church and were not immune to the emotions of the tragedy unfolding before their eyes. Several of them silently began to pray.

As the wind in the harbor whipped up the waves to near three-foot crests, hints of the acrid smell of smoke began to drift to the spectators on the shoreline. Daniel Churchman now began to pace, trying to think of a way to help in this situation. Suddenly, Daniel remembered that his boat, the USS Zeal, was docked in the marina at the end of the pier!

He sprinted down the wooden-plank walkway, past the large cabin cruisers and the speedboats, and arrived at the very end of the dock. There floating in the water was the USS Zeal, a one-person inflatable rowboat! As Daniel leapt aboard, he nearly capsized his vessel, and if the dock had not been there to hold on to, he would have certainly fallen into the bay. Daniel grabbed the plastic oars, shoved them into place, untied the moorings, and launched the vessel into the harbor.

As Daniel rowed he felt strong and determined to make it to the burning ship. Daniel rowed about fifty meters but was now beyond the safety of the marina. The three-foot waves in the open harbor began to break over the bow of his boat. Almost immediately, rowing became very difficult and balancing his weight in the boat became vitally important. Suddenly, a wave hit the rubber raft sideways and flipped the boat, dumping Daniel into the water. As Daniel surfaced, he held onto his boat and began to swim for shore. Each stroke brought him closer to shore even as the waves continued to break over his head. Soon, Daniel’s feet touched the ground and he slowly waded onto dry land, dragging his now-deflated boat onto the beach. The USS Zeal had sprung a leak in the midst of the whole ordeal and was now lying completely deflated on the beach, but Daniel knew he could patch the boat and it would soon be floating again.

But now, the crowd that had been on the beach to gawk at the boat fire had gathered around Daniel to help him out of the water. Some looked pityingly at Daniel, while others displayed an open look of disdain. Soon Daniel was left alone with his five friends. They offered him a blanket, a warm cup of coffee, and some consoling words. His friend Mike said that at least he had tried and that effort was all that mattered. Todd thought Daniel would have had a chance if those waves had not been so big, and Martin and Kerry thought that he was a hero to even try to tackle the issue.

The spectators began to file off the beach as the last glimpse of the USS Issue Identified slipped below the water. The USS Issue Identified, at the end, had sunk, and Daniel Churchman left for home with wet clothes and a momentarily deflated USS Zeal.

Sadly, this analogy mirrors so many ministries and projects that are launched by churches and Christian organizations today. They correctly identify a critical issue, launch a ministry to address that issue, fuel it by zeal and good intentions, but ultimately end up with a ministry that has less than desirable results at the cost of resources and, at times, reputation. Daniel Churchman had indeed correctly analyzed the seriousness of the problem in the harbor—he resolved to do something—but he had not planned how he would accomplish his goal. Ultimately, he had done so at the expense of his boat, his reputation, and the reputation of his five friends.

What is the purpose of the projects or ministries at your church? Have you ever thought about how creating a deliberate approach to a ministry affects a ministry’s outcome? Or have you ever thought about how the very structure of a ministry can affect an organization’s effectiveness, the stewardship of resources, or the purpose of a ministry?

I believe that God has called us to be purposeful in the way that we steward the gifts and resources He has given us. I believe that using wisdom to understand the tools for planning and leadership provide enormous benefit in our efforts to build healthy and effective ministries. We want to build ministries that reach their intended goals while effectively stewarding the resources we have been entrusted with. In other words, we want to build ministries and projects with purpose.

In Christian organizations and churches, people often have great ideas, energy, and zeal. When they bring this energy to a project or ministry it is good thing, but when this energy lacks focus, planning, direction, or true purpose, it often ends poorly. When this pattern is repeated, it can leave behind a string of ineffective and sometimes destructive projects.

I believe that God is a God of order, and I strongly believe that He cares about the way in which we plan our projects, order our ministries, and steward our resources. My research has shown that the average Christian leader or church member has never thought extensively about how a ministry should be planned and executed. One of my greatest motivations for writing Projects with a Purpose has been to introduce ways to help build healthy ministries that last.

So, how do you build effective planning and purpose into a project or ministry? In this book, I will explore and present six practical elements that are found in healthy ministries and demonstrate how applying these elements will help build healthy projects and ministries. By writing Projects with a Purpose, I am seeking to encourage Christians to engage in a more rigorous approach to project and ministry planning in the hope that we can build long lasting ministries that honor God. In other words, I want us to build ministries and projects with purpose.