On the edges of every document you produce in Microsoft Word, you select the margins. Both on the sides of the page and on the top & bottom.
The wider the margins, obviously, the more space you have on the page. The smaller the margins, the more the page is crammed with words.
Most of us live lives of small margins and lots of “words.” That translates into schedules that are overly full and budgets that are overly stretched.
It’s the same with churches.
Over the last few years, I’ve been learning to have a life and lead a church with larger margins and more space.
It means we don’t schedule heavily during summer months — building margin into the life of the church.
It means we budget in such a way that we minimize debt and maximize saving — building margin into the life of the church. We are so blessed in that we could borrow a lot more than we do.
It means we only undertake only those ministries we know we can do consistently and well — building margin into the lives of the staff.
It means I now know that I don’t have to work three nights a week or more — building margin into my own life.
It means paying ahead on our mortgage every month as we are able — building margin into the life of our family.
So what is the “page” of your life like? Crammed to the edges? Or taking that occasional rest from having wide open spaces?
Build some margin into life and ministry.