Stop Fixing What Isn’t the Problem
Churches are full of fixers.
When things start to feel off, we go straight to the toolbelt:
Change the service time.
Repaint the fellowship hall.
Launch a new website.
Add a young adult ministry.
Tweak the music again.
And to be fair, those things might help… but only if they are addressing the actual problem. Because sometimes, what we are trying to fix is not what is actually broken.
It Is Easier to Change the Music Than to Ask Why People Are Not Singing
It is easier to rearrange the calendar than to admit we are burned out. It is easier to rebrand the website than to face the fact that no one is looking for us. It is easier to blame the culture than to ask if we have really made space for the people who live in it. Surface changes feel productive. They give us something to do. But if we are not honest about what is really going on beneath the surface, we will just keep tweaking things that never actually move the mission forward.
We Cannot Heal What We Will Not Name
Churches in revitalization often struggle because they keep misdiagnosing the symptoms. They know something is not right, but instead of asking hard questions, they settle for easy answers.
If we are not reaching people—why?
If giving is down—is it really about money, or is it about engagement and trust?
If the church is divided—is it theological, generational, or something deeper?
If attendance is inconsistent—are we expecting too little, or offering too little?
Until we name the real issues, we will keep investing energy in the wrong fixes.
Do Not Just Address the Fruit. Get to the Root.
You can prune a tree all day, but if the root system is unhealthy, nothing will change. The same is true in the church. Surface-level solutions will not lead to long-term health. Sometimes we have to dig up what we planted years ago. Sometimes we have to repent. Sometimes we have to slow down long enough to really listen. That is not flashy work. But it is the kind of work that bears real fruit.
The Right Problem Will Lead to the Right Questions
What if your church is not struggling because of the music or the signage—but because of culture, clarity, leadership, or misplaced priorities?
What if the problem is not that people are leaving—but that no one is noticing or asking why?
What if the issue is not the programs—but the lack of meaningful relationships?
Before we launch the next thing, let’s stop and ask the better question: What is really going on here?
Because fixing the wrong thing only delays the moment when we finally face what is true.
The Hard Questions Are Worth Asking
If we want to stop spinning our wheels, we have to ask harder questions—of ourselves, of our people, and of our community. We have to be willing to hear things that are uncomfortable. We have to listen not just to the loudest voices, but to the honest ones. That means talking to people who have left. Sitting with those who feel unseen. Asking our neighbors what they actually need—not just what we assume they want. These conversations will not always be easy. But they are how we stop fixing the wrong things and start building something that matters.