How Thinking and Acting Like an Owner in Ministry Strengthens Your Ministry

If you have worked in a business, you have likely either been told or have advised someone to “take ownership of it.” This could be referring to a task, or report, or meeting, or project, department, or anything that you have been given responsibility for.

What was meant by that phrase? If you were on the receiving end, your initial thought might have been, “It looks like that’s mine to lead, but I‘ll still have my boss as an advisor.” If you were on the sending side of that communication as an owner or highest-ranking officer, your message was one of expectation. You were hoping that your employee or team member would understand that you expected them to think and act like an owner.

This subtle truth has been studied and found to have stood the test of time. A leader who wants to embrace full potential will decide to think and act like an owner. This leader does not act as though they are simply playing with organizational resources. They are fully invested, as though it is their investment at stake. This leader/owner accepts personal responsibility for outcomes, gets things done, hungers for growth, takes extra initiative, and overcomes obstacles with creative ideas.

We believe this applies to any leader, including pastors. Think about it. Pastors and business leaders alike all want to grow the organization. They have many of the same responsibilities and concerns. We understand that the money and resources come from the tithe and offering of the people, and ultimately that resources belong to the Lord. But effective leadership commences with the proper mindset.

In this video, we discuss how thinking and acting like an owner can strengthen your leadership. After watching, we hope you complete the accompanying questionnaire. It will help you assess how you are doing in thinking and acting like someone who is fully invested. If you want to become a stronger leader, engage both in the video discussion and in the questionnaire.