More Effective Ministry by Doing Less

In coaching calls and consultations with faith communities across the country, many leaders wonder what they can do to enhance their ministries so they’re more effective. They often ask what new ideas their faith community should try to grow the church. 

But one crucial question is hardly ever asked: What can the faith community stop doing to make their ministry better? 

Researcher Dr. Leidy Klotz calls this the “power of subtraction,” and it’s almost always neglected when it comes to innovation. It’s a simple concept, but one that’s ultra-challenging for churches. 

Rather than adding something new to improve outcomes, subtracting things is a powerful and proven way of enhancing and improving results.

Subtraction and the Church

The institutional Church is generally not a fan of subtraction. Staff and volunteers are praised when they add a new program to an already packed church calendar. Constantly churning out new ministry ideas — rather than subtracting outdated ones — is what usually identifies a pastor as an “innovator” or “visionary.” 

A church with more programs than they can count is seen as vital compared to a church with a handful of ministries. A building addition or expansion is often characterized as the ultimate fruit of effective ministry.

This obsession with adding, rather than subtracting, is a natural human tendency. People living in North America often live by the philosophy that “more is better.” And this way of being has infiltrated the Church for millenia. 

And yet, Jesus’ response to the Pharisees and Sadducees in the gospel of Matthew offers a powerful example of subtraction.

When asked which was the greatest commandment in the Law, Jesus responded with subtraction. Rather than scroll upon scroll of laws, his interpretation was simpler: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Jesus knew that the most powerful story the world would ever know was actually one of subtraction, not addition. 

Love God, love neighbor. That’s it. This power of subtraction is still a crucial – albeit often overlooked – ingredient for transformational ministry today.

Why Subtraction is so Difficult 

It’s no secret that subtracting a long-standing ministry program or event can be challenging for churches and participants. People form emotional attachments to programs that have been on the calendar for many years. Memories and stories of positive impact are often wrapped up in the form that a ministry takes in a particular time and place, rather than its purpose. 

Oftentimes, a beloved program is led for years by the same church member, so admitting it might not be relevant anymore can feel like rejection. Some faith communities even derive a greater sense of their identity from a program they offer rather than their discerned purpose and mission. 

But in these contexts, subtraction is clarifying and liberates a faith community to move courageously forward in pursuit of God’s call. Letting something go is a powerful act of faith rooted not in failure, but in hope.

Subtraction is ultimately a recognition that a faith community doesn’t put its faith in a particular way of being in ministry, but in the action of God. 

Consider these questions to harness the power of subtraction in your own ministry. 

1. When you begin to feel pressure or stress in your ministry from yourself or others, are you more tempted to add or subtract? Why do you think that is?
2. When was the last time your faith community made the intentional choice to subtract (stop doing) a program, activity, or event? What was the impact?
3. When was the last time your faith community added a new program or activity? What did you subtract to make space, time, and energy for it? If you didn’t subtract anything, what potentially needs to be let go? 

Our FREE resource, “For Everything, a Season: A Liturgy for Letting Go” offers a liturgical process that brings people together to celebrate a ministry’s impact and look forward to opportunities for new growth. This resource can be adapted to meet the needs of your unique faith community and people.