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Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching. Do not neglect the gift you have, which was given you by prophecy when the council of elders laid their hands on you. Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress. 16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers. Do not rebuke an older man but encourage him as you would a father, younger men as brothers…--- I Timothy 4:14-16 & 5:1* * *
Production leader, at some point in your journey, you will find yourself in a meeting staring down the barrel of a request from your senior pastor that you know you simply can’t make happen. Or maybe you could make it happen, but it’s going to put too much on your team and your resources. You have to tell your guy, “No…” but you’re pretty sure that’s going to fly like a bucket of bricks.
Now what?
I have good news for you! You don’t have to say No—you just have to find the yes. I’ll give you three methods I’ve learned over the years to find it.
Before I do, though, consider the above scripture and Paul’s charge to Timothy to honor the men in his ministry. Some of you will be serving pastors older than you, and some younger, but Paul admonishes respect and honor to both all the same. Everything that follows here is about that—honoring the heart of the person you’re serving.
First, Clarify the Mission
So, your lead pastor has this big idea he’s excited about—it might be an event, a conference, or even just an extravagant sermon illustration—and you don’t see how you can pull off what they’re seeing in their head. Instead of jumping to no, ask what it is they’re trying to accomplish. One of my ministry buddies always used to ask, “So, what’s the win, here?”
This hones everything down for both you and your leader. Asking that clarifying question might shake them back to reality and help them realize their big idea might not have quite the effect they’re dreaming up. Once they answer, you then have the information you need to achieve the mission, even if it might not look like what they first saw in their head. You can then offer a, “Well, I don’t think we can readily pull off x, but we can certainly do y, and that will get the results you’re looking for.”
Very often, you’ll find the yes right here, and you won’t even need step two, but if you do…
Second, Bring Up The Scope of Their Request
Lead pastors often get tunnel vision when it comes to a new idea, and part of your job is to help them understand the cost of what they’re asking.
This is where I like to talk about the production team. Every production leader’s primary job is to make weekend services happen smoothly and easily. After that, off-hand events like men’s ministry, women’s ministry, worship nights, and youth services are the next priority. If this new thing is going to compromise your team’s dedication to those core functions of your team, make that very clear.
Once you’ve brought that up, pivot back to the first step and help them understand what resources you do have at your disposal and how you can achieve their mission without compromising the primary functions of your ministry.
A quick word at this step—if your leader says “make it happen anyway” and doesn’t show any care for you, your team, or your resources, it might be time to think about moving on. You are never called to make bricks without straw, brothers and sisters. Impossible and unhealthy requests are a giant red flag that you’re working for an unhealthy person, and it might be time for you to go.
Third, Consider that You Might Need to Be Stretched
While we are never called to make bricks without straw, we will never grow if we’re not uncomfortable. Muscles don’t grow until they’re taxed to failure or just before, so take a minute and consider that you and your team might have more capacity than you think.
For instance, you might have some people on your team who want to serve more than they currently do, which means they can show up for another event or have the space for some creative work to make a short film, a punchy video intro, or put together a great light show. I always keep a couple of those guys in my back pocket for when I need a “yes” that I normally wouldn’t. I purposely don’t over-schedule them for core functions so that I can lean on them when I need some extra manpower. I also have some former team members who have moved on to other ministries in the church who’ve told me to give them a call when I’m in a bind. Those are the kind of people you can lean on when you need to say yes.
Similarly, don’t be afraid to empower your team to do something without you. Perhaps you are the resource that can’t be overtaxed to pull off another event that leadership has deemed essential, and that means it’s time to delegate and replicate: find someone who wants to own the event and teach them how to run it without you.
At the same time, some of you reading this are young and unattached, by which I mean that you are unmarried without kids, and you have energy that some of us old timers don’t have. This time in your life is not only your time to shine; it’s your time to grind. If leadership is willing to pay you overtime to pull off this new thing (or if you’re salaried and can swing the extra hours) do it. Make yourself indispensable and put your dedication to your craft on display. Work hard now while you have the energy to do it
Whatever your situation, the Lord is your keeper. I pray that you are in a healthy environment and that these tougher conversations resolve with peace, joy, and unity. Above all things, you are serving the Lord, so serve Him with all your might.
