Momentum:  Forward motion fueled by a series of wins.

In the church world momentum will be suppressed because it is threatening.

If you have it, and you don’t know why you do, you are one stupid decision away from killing it.  You have to know what your driving force is.

In the church world the normal answer for why you have momentum  is God.  That may be true but it is not helpful.  He has to be blessing something.  When you see God blessing you you need to figure out what god is blessing.

If you lack momentum you need to understand why.

What if there is a formula for momentum?

1.        Three components of sustained momentum:

-New, improved, improving

  • New triggers momentum.
  • Even if it is bad, new always triggers mo.
  • The momentum can be positive or negative.
  • Tip. Negative circumstances are the fertile soil for a burst of positive momentum.
  • Organizational mo is often triggered by:
  • New leadership
  • New direction
  • New product
  • When evaluating ask do we need one of the previous or a combo?
  • Mo is never triggered by tweaking something old. It is triggered by intro something new.
  • Minor improvements won’t cause mo
  • New doesn’t guarantee sustained mo, but it is an essential trigger.

2.       The new must be a noticeable improvement over the old.

  • Must be new AND improved
  • Ask: Is this a significant improvement over the old?
  • If you are in an eviron where you can’t make changes to create mo you are doing too many things.
  • Warning: even sig improvement has a shelf life.

3.       Improving

  • Mo is sustained through continuous improvement
  • Just like products that want you to stick with their brand
  • Continuous improvement requires systematic evaluation.
  • Must be built into the rhythm of the org
  • Take something that is working and make it better.
  • CM requires unfiltered evaluation.
  • Nobody and nothing is off limits.

4.       Applying new and improved to the world of ministry

  • New personnel
  • New programming
  • New season
  • New series
  • New look
  • New venues

5.       Improving

  • Look for ways to upgrade your presentations.

6.       Momentum stoppers

  • Disengaged Leaders
  • Overactive managers
  • Have to have a working relationship with managers so you can create margin with momentum. Don’t allow managers to manage away your momentum.
  • You need both.
  • Complacency – rarely get mo the same way you first created it.
  • Complexity – slows mo down, when new not complex, but age adds
  • You have to tear the scabs and marrow from bone to get rid of complexity.
  • The process is painful.
  • Complexity works against mo.
  • A breach of trust.