Simple Ways to Create Space for Presence
In Part One, we asked the question: Is your church an event planner?
We explored how overprogramming can quietly erode the very things we’re trying to build—discipleship, relationships, and missional living. But recognizing the problem is only the first step. The real challenge is knowing how to slow down without falling apart.
You do not need to cancel every ministry or wipe your calendar clean. But you may need to reimagine what faithfulness looks like—not in terms of how much you do, but in how well you create space for presence with God, with one another, and with your community.
Here are five practical ways to move in that direction:
1. Audit the Calendar with Fresh Eyes
Start by laying everything out—every event, every meeting, every recurring commitment—and ask three questions:
Does this align with our identity and mission?
Is this still bearing fruit?
What would happen if we paused it?
Some things stay out of habit, not purpose. Pruning creates margin. And margin creates opportunity—for deeper relationships, spontaneous ministry, and healthier rhythms.
2. Reframe Success Around Depth, Not Attendance
When presence becomes a value, numbers are not the only measure of impact. A small group of people praying together may be more fruitful than a packed room with no real connection. A slow conversation over coffee might matter more than a perfectly executed event.
Celebrate moments where people slow down, listen well, serve quietly, or stay a little longer because they are known. Presence often shows up in the in-between moments, not just the big ones.
3. Normalize Saying No
Not every good idea needs to be a church program. In fact, sometimes the most faithful thing you can do is empower someone to pursue ministry outside of the church structure. Say no to one more event so someone can say yes to dinner with their neighbors. Say no to another training night so a tired team can rest.
When churches say no with intention, they create space for people to live out their faith in everyday life. And that is often where the real ministry happens.
4. Bring Presence Into the Programming You Keep
Not everything needs to be cut. Some programs are deeply valuable. But they may need to slow down. Shift from performance to participation. Make time for discussion, prayer, and connection—not just content delivery.
Even your Sunday gatherings can reflect this. Leave space to linger. Give people permission to stay and talk. Make your hospitality less transactional and more relational. The structure can stay, but the spirit behind it can shift.
5. Equip People to Be Present Outside the Building
Presence is not just a Sunday value. It is a way of life. Help your people see their homes, their workplaces, their neighborhoods as places of ministry. Teach them how to practice presence with their coworkers, neighbors, and family—not by adding more to their schedule, but by approaching their existing life with greater purpose.
When your church stops filling every hour with activity, it frees people to carry the gospel where it is most needed—into the community, into relationships, into the margins.
You do not have to choose between structure and presence. But you do have to decide what your structure is built for. When presence becomes the goal, people stop just showing up—they start showing up for one another. And that’s the kind of church that doesn’t just feel busy—it feels alive.