Practical Church Newsletter ⛪️

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If you want to spend less time on any task in ministry, schedule it ahead of time. Anything left unscheduled always takes longer to complete.

For pastors, sermon preparation is often the most time-consuming weekly task. Yet, when talking to other pastors, I’ve noticed that for many, it takes even longer than it should. Why? Because they fit it in sporadically—an hour here, an hour there—whenever they find an opening in their day.

But this approach doesn’t just apply to sermon prep. Whether it’s planning a leadership meeting, developing volunteers, writing emails, or crafting a discipleship strategy, any task you tackle “when you have time” will take longer than if you pre-plan and block off dedicated time for it on your calendar.

On top of that, task-switching—shifting your focus between multiple responsibilities—drains your mental energy and reduces your effectiveness. The more interruptions you have, the harder it becomes to think clearly and do quality work.

Instead of jumping in and out of important tasks all week, set aside larger, focused blocks of time to work on them. Your sermons, leadership development, and church planning will all benefit when you give them your full attention, rather than piecing them together in between distractions.

Ultimately, the key to effective church leadership is learning to control your schedule before your schedule controls you. One of the biggest contributors to feeling “too busy” in ministry is not planning your time intentionally. When you don’t prioritize what truly matters, it’s easy to fill your days with small, urgent tasks while leaving the most important work unfinished.

And remember: anything unscheduled always takes more time.

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This week, block off a dedicated time on your calendar for your most important ministry task—whether it’s sermon prep, leadership development, or strategic planning. Treat it like an appointment you can’t miss.

If you don’t schedule it, you’ll likely piece it together between distractions, and it will take longer than it should. Control your schedule before your schedule controls you.

What’s one thing you need to schedule this week?

More Resources to help you in ministry 🙌

Here are more ways you can get the help you need:

1. Join the Practical Church Facebook group. Connect with 2,300+ pastors and ministry leaders to get help and feedback from others.

2. Check out Mission Support so you can enjoy being a pastor again.

3. Shave 10 hours off your workweek and get back more time to get everything done. 

P.S. Recently, I've been using the Bible for support.

I've got a wobbly coffee table.

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