People Over Structures

Structure is great. Anybody with a newborn gets that. You need that routine sometimes just to keep your sanity. And when that structure gets interrupted, look out. Structures are important, but structures have to reflect your current reality. You may feed a newborn every 2 to 3 hours & rock them to sleep afterward, but you don't do that with your teenager (hopefully). Why? Because the structure that was once beneficial to the child can actually become harmful as the situation changes.

The same is true in churches, businesses, schools, & other organizations. We need structure. It helps us organize what we do & keep people on the same page. However, those structures have to align with our context, & those structures should lead people toward fulfilling the mission & purpose of your ministry or organization.

"When People Serve Structures, The People Suffer.

   When Structures Serve People, The People Succeed."

Whenever a structure supersedes people, we as leaders are no longer leading our people to grow. We are crushing them under the weight of our structure. This usually occurs slowly over time. A structure is implemented, almost always an effective one, but then as time passes, the context changes & perhaps the structure isn't as effective as it once was. This is where leaders have a choice to make: change the structure to fit reality or force the people to fit the structure. As leaders we have to remember that first & foremost we lead people not structures, but when we prioritize a structure above a group of people, we've forgotten what we've really been called to do. The structures we implement & utilize have to serve the people we lead. Structures that serve the people lead the people to grow, serve others, & fulfill the mission of your ministry, team, or organization. However, when the people have to serve a structure it often drains them of the energy & passion necessary to fulfill the mission. 

Structures are necessary. Structures facilitate the progress & momentum of whatever group you lead. However, when considering structures, we have to start with our people & our context so that we implement structures that serve the people & set them up for success.