--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We are committed to involving as many…" description: "\"“We are committed to involving as many people as possible, as young as possible, as soon as possible. Sometimes too young and too soon! But we intentio..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/andy-stanley-737_change_we-are-committed-to-involving-as-many-pe_2754136.png" --- # We are committed to involving as many people as possible… ![“We are committed to involving as many people as possible, as young as possible, as soon as possible. Sometimes too young and too soon! But we intentionally err on the side of too fast rather than too slow. We don’t wait until people feel “prepared” or “fully equipped.” Seriously, when is anyone…” quote by Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/andy-stanley-737_change_we-are-committed-to-involving-as-many-pe_2754136.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/andy-stanley-737_change_we-are-committed-to-involving-as-many-pe_2754136.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b69/andy-stanley-737_change_we-are-committed-to-involving-as-many-pe_2754136.png) > ““We are committed to involving as many people as possible, as young as possible, as soon as possible. Sometimes too young and too soon! But we intentionally err on the side of too fast rather than too slow. We don’t wait until people feel “prepared” or “fully equipped.” Seriously, when is anyone ever completely prepared for ministry? Ministry makes people’s faith bigger. If you want to increase someone’s confidence in God, put him in a ministry position before he feels fully equipped. The messages your environments communicate have the potential to trump your primary message. If you don’t see a mess, if you aren’t bothered by clutter, you need to make sure there is someone around you who does see it and is bothered by it. An uncomfortable or distracting setting can derail ministry before it begins. The sermon begins in the parking lot. Assign responsibility, not tasks. At the end of the day, it’s application that makes all the difference. Truth isn’t helpful if no one understands or remembers it. If you want a church full of biblically educated believers, just teach what the Bible says. If you want to make a difference in your community and possibly the world, give people handles, next steps, and specific applications. Challenge them to do something. As we’ve all seen, it’s not safe to assume that people automatically know what to do with what they’ve been taught. They need specific direction. This is hard. This requires an extra step in preparation. But this is how you grow people. Your current template is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently getting. We must remove every possible obstacle from the path of the disinterested, suspicious, here-against-my-will, would-rather-be-somewhere-else, unchurched guests. The parking lot, hallways, auditorium, and stage must be obstacle-free zones. As a preacher, it’s my responsibility to offend people with the gospel. That’s one reason we work so hard not to offend them in the parking lot, the hallway, at check-in, or in the early portions of our service. We want people to come back the following week for another round of offending! Present the gospel in uncompromising terms, preach hard against sin, and tackle the most emotionally charged topics in culture, while providing an environment where unchurched people feel comfortable. The approach a church chooses trumps its purpose every time. Nothing says hypocrite faster than Christians expecting non-Christians to behave like Christians when half the Christians don’t act like it half the time. When you give non-Christians an out, they respond by leaning in. Especially if you invite them rather than expect them. There’s a big difference between being expected to do something and being invited to try something. There is an inexorable link between an organization’s vision and its appetite for improvement. Vision exposes what has yet to be accomplished. In this way, vision has the power to create a healthy sense of organizational discontent. A leader who continually keeps the vision out in front of his or her staff creates a thirst for improvement. Vision-centric churches expect change. Change is a means to an end. Change is critical to making what could and should be a reality. Write your vision in ink; everything else should be penciled in. Plans change. Vision remains the same. It is natural to assume that what worked in the past will always work. But, of course, that way of thinking is lethal. And the longer it goes unchallenged, the more difficult it is to identify and eradicate. Every innovation has an expiration date. The primary reason churches cling to outdated models and programs is that they lack leadership.”” [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Effective ministry requires early, hands‑on involvement, clear direction, and removal of environmental obstacles. **In simple terms:** Teach and empower people early, even before they feel ready. Key Takeaway Engage, equip, and eliminate distractions. Themes leadership faith education environment Mood motivational strategic Type practical inspirational When to use this quote - church planting - volunteer training - community outreach - personal mentorship Key Concepts missiology organizational behavior learning theory Questions to Reflect On - How can we balance speed with adequate preparation? - What systems ensure ongoing support after initial placement? A Different Perspective Risk of overwhelming unprepared individuals, causing burnout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach Church](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach-church-3122039/) [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Churches Expect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/churches-expect-3122041/) [Confidence in god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confidence-in-god/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [End of the day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-of-the-day/) [Ministry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ministry/) [Ministry Begins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ministry-begins-3122040/) [Plans Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plans-change/) [Prepared Ministry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared-ministry-3122038/) [Way of thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way-of-thinking/) ## Related quotes > [“The path of obedient, faithful ministry begins when we drop our roles as busy religious salespeople working for God and instead recapture our calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-briggs/the-path-of-obedient-faithful-ministry-begins-when-we-drop-our-roles/) [J R Briggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-briggs/) > [We make all these plans about how things will turn out. But life happens. Plans change. So we doubt. We draw on strength we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-make-all-these-plans-about-how-things-will-turn-out-but-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Don't say it's over ‘Cause that's the worst news I could hear I swear that I will Do my best to be here just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colleen-hoover/don-t-say-it-s-over-cause-that-s-the-worst-news-i-could-hear-i-swear/) [Colleen Hoover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colleen-hoover/) > [Make big plans, but change your plans as time changes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-marchant/make-big-plans-but-change-your-plans-as-time-changes/) [Kenny Marchant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-marchant/) > [“Dr. Patel nodded.  "You are a very smart man, John.  I am curious to know why you never went to college?" John shrugged.  "I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forrest-carr/dr-patel-nodded-you-are-a-very-smart-man-john-i-am-curious-to-know/) [Forrest Carr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forrest-carr/) > [“Plans often change. Be flexible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-s-baker/plans-often-change-be-flexible/) [Robin S. Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-s-baker/) > [My home is in Moscow and I have no plans to change this.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alisher-usmanov/my-home-is-in-moscow-and-i-have-no-plans-to-change-this/) [Alisher Usmanov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alisher-usmanov/) > [“Plans are stupid. Plans get cancelled, plans change, and all that gets accomplished is you getting angry and upset. But you can always dream.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/crystal-bowling/plans-are-stupid-plans-get-cancelled-plans-change-and-all-that-gets/) [Crystal Bowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/crystal-bowling/) > [“Plans could change in a heartbeat, though, couldn’t they? The wind shifts and the clouds rush in. The air sparks and hums, and before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-francis-scott/plans-could-change-in-a-heartbeat-though-couldn-t-they-the-wind/) [Anne Francis Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-francis-scott/) > [We make all this plans about how things will turn out, but life happens, plans change, so we adapt. We draw on strength we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/we-make-all-this-plans-about-how-things-will-turn-out-but-life/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Even the best plans can change if there's an accident.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/even-the-best-plans-can-change-if-there-s-an-accident/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Never permit circumstances to change your plans, but give so much character to your plans that they will change circumstances. Give so much character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson/never-permit-circumstances-to-change-your-plans-but-give-so-much-2/) [Christian D. Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson/) > [“I came to understand that we do not change gradually, peacefully, over time, but that we undergo sudden upheavals that overthrow our best-laid plans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-delors/i-came-to-understand-that-we-do-not-change-gradually-peacefully-over/) [Catherine Delors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-delors/) > [“How about we go to my place? It’s just around the corner.” Ah, thanks—but no thanks. Redhead has quickly become a fading memory. My…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-chase/how-about-we-go-to-my-place-it-s-just-around-the-corner-ah-thanks-but/) [Emma Chase](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-chase/) > [Never permit circumstances to change your plans, but give so much character to your plans that they will change circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-d-larson-2/never-permit-circumstances-to-change-your-plans-but-give-so-much/) [Christian D Larson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-d-larson-2/) ## More by Andy Stanley > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [We are not all leaders. We are called leaders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/we-are-not-all-leaders-we-are-called-leaders/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Preachers prepare with this fear: 'Am I going to be able to fill the time?' The audience never worries about that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/preachers-prepare-with-this-fear-am-i-going-to-be-able-to-fill-the/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [If it suddenly became impossible for us to cover up all the junk we normally hide from the rest of humanity, I have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/if-it-suddenly-became-impossible-for-us-to-cover-up-all-the-junk-we/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [The greatest thing you do as a leader may not be what you do as a leader but who watches you do what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/the-greatest-thing-you-do-as-a-leader-may-not-be-what-you-do-as-a/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“right standing with God comes through faith in the promises of God.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/right-standing-with-god-comes-through-faith-in-the-promises-of-god/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [People pray in one direction but they walk in a different direction, and direction always determines where we end up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/people-pray-in-one-direction-but-they-walk-in-a-different-direction/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [The God of Christianity never claims to be fair. He goes beyond fair. The Bible teaches that he decided not to give us what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/the-god-of-christianity-never-claims-to-be-fair-he-goes-beyond-fair/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Any fear associated with giving to God's kingdom is irrational. It's on par with a farmer who, out of fear of losing his seed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/any-fear-associated-with-giving-to-god-s-kingdom-is-irrational-it-s/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [We rob ourselves when we make decisions in the moment with no thought of how those decisions will impact our futures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/we-rob-ourselves-when-we-make-decisions-in-the-moment-with-no-thought/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [“In the critical arenas of life, you cannot make up for lost time. As”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/in-the-critical-arenas-of-life-you-cannot-make-up-for-lost-time-as/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [I've talked to many individuals who want to discuss their problems. But they don't really have problems. They have chosen to live in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/i-ve-talked-to-many-individuals-who-want-to-discuss-their-problems/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [I can't make people fall in love with Jesus, but I can arrange dates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/i-can-t-make-people-fall-in-love-with-jesus-but-i-can-arrange-dates/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [A leader is someone who has the courage to say publicly what everybody else is whispering privately. It is not his insight that sets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/a-leader-is-someone-who-has-the-courage-to-say-publicly-what/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [When your memories exceed your dreams, the end is near.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/when-your-memories-exceed-your-dreams-the-end-is-near/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) [Explore all 386 Andy Stanley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) [Phil Hogan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-hogan/) > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We are committed to involving as many people as possible, as young as possible, as soon as possible. Sometimes too young and too soon! But we intentionally err on the side of too fast rather than too slow. We don’t wait until people feel “prepared” or “fully equipped.” Seriously, when is anyone ever completely prepared for ministry? Ministry makes people’s faith bigger. If you want to increase someone’s confidence in God, put him in a ministry position before he feels fully equipped. The messages your environments communicate have the potential to trump your primary message. If you don’t see a mess, if you aren’t bothered by clutter, you need to make sure there is someone around you who does see it and is bothered by it. An uncomfortable or distracting setting can derail ministry before it begins. The sermon begins in the parking lot. Assign responsibility, not tasks. At the end of the day, it’s application that makes all the difference. Truth isn’t helpful if no one understands or remembers it. If you want a church full of biblically educated believers, just teach what the Bible says. If you want to make a difference in your community and possibly the world, give people handles, next steps, and specific applications. Challenge them to do something. As we’ve all seen, it’s not safe to assume that people automatically know what to do with what they’ve been taught. They need specific direction. This is hard. This requires an extra step in preparation. But this is how you grow people. Your current template is perfectly designed to produce the results you are currently getting. We must remove every possible obstacle from the path of the disinterested, suspicious, here-against-my-will, would-rather-be-somewhere-else, unchurched guests. The parking lot, hallways, auditorium, and stage must be obstacle-free zones. As a preacher, it’s my responsibility to offend people with the gospel. That’s one reason we work so hard not to offend them in the parking lot, the hallway, at check-in, or in the early portions of our service. We want people to come back the following week for another round of offending! Present the gospel in uncompromising terms, preach hard against sin, and tackle the most emotionally charged topics in culture, while providing an environment where unchurched people feel comfortable. The approach a church chooses trumps its purpose every time. Nothing says hypocrite faster than Christians expecting non-Christians to behave like Christians when half the Christians don’t act like it half the time. When you give non-Christians an out, they respond by leaning in. Especially if you invite them rather than expect them. There’s a big difference between being expected to do something and being invited to try something. There is an inexorable link between an organization’s vision and its appetite for improvement. Vision exposes what has yet to be accomplished. In this way, vision has the power to create a healthy sense of organizational discontent. A leader who continually keeps the vision out in front of his or her staff creates a thirst for improvement. Vision-centric churches expect change. Change is a means to an end. Change is critical to making what could and should be a reality. Write your vision in ink; everything else should be penciled in. Plans change. Vision remains the same. It is natural to assume that what worked in the past will always work. But, of course, that way of thinking is lethal. And the longer it goes unchallenged, the more difficult it is to identify and eradicate. Every innovation has an expiration date. 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