I’ve been writing a series on using the word, “no,” because it is the most important word in ministry.  If you are just joining the conversation, you can catch up here, here, and here.

Today, I want to assert that using the word, “no,” can actually expand your ministry.  When you say, “yes,” all the time you are shrinking your ministry.

Here’s what you communicate by saying, “yes,” to Being the Solution to every crisis presented to you: “I don’t trust that others have what it takes to solve the crisis they are in.” 

Though this message is unintentional, it communicates loud and clear to those who come to you for help, and it serves to shrink our ministry and influence.

For example, when my kids are having an argument, it’s a crisis.  They are desperate to solve the issue.  So they bring it to me and ask me to make a decision for them (the one who brings it to me first hopes I will rule in their favor).  Yet, I have learned to resist solving their disputes for them.  It is difficult, but I try to resist being the one who comes up with the solution for them.  The reason is that if I jump in to solve every crisis that they face, they will never know that they have what it takes to be peace makers who can reveal God’s mercy in times of trouble.  When I say, “no,” to solving their crisis, I am actually expanding my influence.  I am helping my children grow.  The same thing occurs when we say, “no,” to solving every person’s problem in ministry.  The message that we send is this: “You have what it takes to be peace makers who can reveal God’s mercy in times of trouble.”  That’s a powerful message, and people will hear it when you say, “no,” to solving their problems for them.

Here’s what you communicate When you say, “yes,” to every opportunity given to you: “I don’t trust that others have what it takes to encourage others like I can.”

This unintentional message is incredibly disempowering, and it creates a culture where you alone are the expert.  No one else can do it as good as you can, so people follow your lead.  They chose not to exercise their gifts because they believe the message that they are not good enough to encourage others.

For example, many pastors feel the pressure to preach every Sunday.  When I was the lead pastor for a local church, I felt it was my duty and responsibility to the congregation to preach each week.  This was not only wearing me out, but it was also communicating to the congregation that I didn’t trust others to preach the word.  In order to counteract that message, I learned to develop a preaching team who could express the gift God had given them to preach the word.  Not only was it really freeing for me personally, but it expanded my ministry.  When I said, “no,” to preaching every Sunday, I was telling my team that I trusted them.  I was communicating that I believed they had what it takes to encourage the congregation with their gifts and insight.  Saying, “no,” actually expanded my ministry because others got more involved and engaged in the overall ministry.

Saying, “yes,” to being the solution for every problem and the “go to” person for every ministry opportunity shrinks your ministry.  It shrinks your ministry because you are unintentionally communicating a message of distrust toward others.

Jesus communicated trust by saying, “no,” to being the only one who could do ministry.

Instead of being a solo preacher, Jesus entrusted his twelve disciples to communicate the message he was bringing to free us from our slavery to sin.  Luke records how Jesus expanded his ministry by using the most important word in ministry in Luke 9.

Luke 9:1 When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, 2 and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal the sick.  3 He told them: “Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt. 4 Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. 5 If people do not welcome you, leave their town and shake the dust off your feet as a testimony against them.” 6 So they set out and went from village to village, proclaiming the good news and healing people everywhere.  

Here’s how we can expand our ministry by learning how Jesus used the most important word in ministry:

1. By using the word, “no,” Jesus EMPOWERED his disciples.  The disciples watched Jesus in ministry for a while, but then he sent them out.  Jesus gave them his power and authority to do ministry on their own.  If we are going to use the word, “no,” in a way that expands our ministry, we have to give our power and authority away.  We have to be willing to allow others to call the shots, get the credit, and lead important ministries.  When we do, we will expand our ministry by empowering others for God’s service in it.
2. By using the word, “no,” Jesus EQUIPPED his disciples.  He told them not to lean on any earthly resource for success in their ministry.  They were to take nothing with them to help them.  They were to trust that God was going to use their story of faith to engender faith in the lives of others.  Too many people in our communities fail to engage ministry because they feel like they aren’t equipped.  They feel like they don’t have enough knowledge or experience to engage in ministry.  Yet, when we equip them by telling them their faith in Jesus is the primary thing they need to step out into ministry, we are equipping people to trust in Jesus in a way that will stretch them.  We are sending them the message that they are valuable in ministry and they have what it takes.  Their faith is the primary thing they need to serve God well.  When we focus our volunteers on their faith as the primary resource for ministry, we will expand our ministry by equipping people for God’s service.
3. By using the word, “no,” Jesus ENLIGHTENED his disciples.  He told them that just because they go out in faith doesn’t mean they will always see success.  Yet he tells them what to do when they encounter difficulty and failure.  He simply says, “Move on.”  Don’t let someone else’s rejection of you stop your work.  Many people fear failure.  It is a huge barrier to trying new things (especially trying their hand at leading a ministry).  However, we can expand our ministry by setting the expectation for people in ministry.  We can enlighten them about what to do when they encounter failure, not if they encounter it.  When we encourage people to keep moving forward in faith, we communicate a positive message to them.  We communicate to them that they have what it takes to be useful in ministry despite the failures they may encounter.

So, if you learn to say, “no,” in ministry, you are really learning to expand your ministry.

What ways have you been able to expand your ministry by saying, “no?”