Years ago, Aaron and I were talking with the pastor of a…
““Years ago, Aaron and I were talking with the pastor of a fast-growing church, and another friend, a more seasoned pastor. The first pastor was telling the story of how the church had exploded, how they couldn’t stop the growth, how it was utterly out of their control, an inexplicable, unstoppable phenomenon. The seasoned pastor pushed him gently: “You’ve built this, and it’s okay to say that. You’ve intentionally and strategically built a very large church. It’s okay to say that.” The young pastor kept protesting, preferring the narrative of wild and unexplained growth. “We had nothing to do with it,” he insisted. “Well, not nothing,” said the older pastor. “You kept putting up more chairs.” And then our minds sort of exploded, because it didn’t occur to us that there was another option. We were all raised to build, build, build. Bigger is better, more is better, faster is better. It had never occurred to us, in church-building or any other part of life, that someone would intentionally keep something small, or deliberately do something slow. This””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Growth can be intentional and strategic rather than uncontrolled; building slowly can be a conscious choice.
In simple terms: Growth can be purposeful, not just chaotic.
Key Takeaway
Choose intentional growth.
Themes
growth
intentionality
strategy
leadership
Mood
thoughtful
balanced
Type
advice
philosophical
When to use this quote
- business expansion
- personal development
- church leadership
Key Concepts
management
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- When is slow growth better?
- How do you balance ambition with intentionality?
A Different Perspective
Strategic restraint may limit opportunities.