In 1940, Richard and Maurice McDonald launched something that would revolutionize
the way we eat. They didn’t invent burgers—but they reinvented how we get them.
Faster. Simpler. More efficient. Their “Speedee Service System” became the gold
standard, not just for fast food, but for how industries measure progress: streamlined,
scalable, convenient. And that mindset didn’t stay in the drive-thru—it made its way into
nearly every corner of Western life. So how has convenience and efficiency culture
shaped church leaders who were called to walk the narrow road?
The McDonald’s model excelled at efficiency—but what if the measure of success was
health? If speed and convenience are the focus, then health is put on the back burner.
And often, so is spiritual depth.
Ever notice the first question pastors ask each other when they meet? “So, how many
people are coming to your church these days?”
Chances are, you met that pastor at a conference designed to help you optimize your
systems—to streamline the process of turning first-time guests into faithful members.
Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with strong systems…until what was meant
to supplement a Christ-centered ministry becomes the very thing that distracts us from
the One who called us in the first place.
Let’s be clear—this isn’t a call to abandon vision or settle into passive reflection. This
isn’t some veiled attempt to tame your passion or quench the flame that drives you to
take ground for the gospel. No, this is a reminder that your fire only lasts when it stays lit
by the right flame. Attachment to the Vine isn’t optional—it’s essential. You can’t bear
fruit that lasts if you’re disconnected from the source of life Himself.
Jesus didn’t just send us—He invited us to abide.
“Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in
the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” - John 15:4
In John 15 Jesus is teaching us something crucial here. First, He absolutely desires for
us to be fruitful. So much so, in fact, that He takes on the role of the gardener. He’s not
indifferent to our growth. He personally does the pruning.
But notice this: His first call isn’t to productivity. It’s to proximity.
That’s what makes our current church culture so striking. The model for the ideal leader
today? Hustle hard. Get results. Stay busy. I lead a church staff—I get the pull. These
are the traits we tend to hire for.
But if we’re not careful, we’ll raise up church leaders who are all Martha and no Mary—
always moving, never sitting; always producing, rarely abiding. What are the
repercussions of producing, week after week, month after month, if I’m not abiding?
Apathy.
Burnout.
Disillusionment.
Staff turnover.
Healthy church leaders have become the exception, not the norm.
Is efficiency the enemy? Not at all. Systems aren’t the problem—but they do make
terrible masters. We can’t love organizational leadership and merely tolerate the
spiritual work of ministry. We can’t build churches that crank out high-capacity leaders
but quietly discard genuine discipleship. And we can’t keep justifying the people who fall
off the bus by saying, “They just weren’t right for the next season.”
That’s not leadership. That’s spiritual bypassing.
We’re seeing the cracks in the current model. We’re feeling the weight of growth for
growth’s sake.
But I believe God is inviting us—right now—back to something deeper. A model of
church that reflects His heart. A rhythm of ministry where what we do flows from who
we’re becoming.
A model built not on hustle, but on hunger.
Where fruit comes not from striving, but from staying close.
Where everything flows from a deep well of love for God—
not as a strategy,
not as a task,
but as a byproduct of seeking His kingdom first,
and trusting Him with the rest.
Doing without being, striving without abiding. This is a cycle we were not made for, and
it’s not sustainable.
God doesn’t need pastors with world-class leadership acumen, keen senses of
entrepreneurship, or expertise in organizational structures. He desires surrendered
leaders who remain close and rely fully on him.
C.S. Lewis said.
“Relying on God has to begin all over again every day as if nothing had yet been done.”
Ministry is the kind of work that reflects God’s heart so deeply, it demands that we walk
closely with Him if we’re to be truly effective.
And effective isn’t a number you can plug into a spreadsheet.
It’s a heart formed in His presence,
shaped into His image,
and forged into a posture that can endure.
That’s the kind of fruit that lasts. That’s the kind of leader who stays.