Increase Effectiveness by Cutting Meetings

ChurchWorld can get complicated very quickly. New ministry ideas require meetings to plan, implement, and evaluate. Success means more meetings. Systems and structure are necessary, and well, it takes meetings to make it happen.

Or does it?

LifeChurch found itself in just such a situation. As their rapid growth continues, their systems became more complicated and their communication more challenging. In an attempt to become better informed, they added more meetings. Unfortunately, the result was more inefficiency.

According to pastor Craig Groeschel, it was time for a radical change: They cut the frequency of their meetings in half. If a group met once a month, they moved it to once every two months. If it met four times a year, they moved it to two times per year. Weekly meetings became bimonthly meetings.

Invitation to disaster? Not exactly:

• Instead of less communication, there was better communication. The infrequency of meetings forced them to be more intentional with their communication
• Instead of planning for one week, they had to plan for two. This forced them to become more organized
• Instead of dull and boring meetings, people were excited to be together
• Instead of longer, more drawn out meetings, people worked harder, faster, and smarter
• A ton of time was freed up for ministry

For Craig Groeschel and LifeChurch, it came down to this:

Cut your meetings in half, double your production.

What about it? Are you game for a radical experiment?