Sustainability isn’t the same thing as faithfulness
Why viability matters—and why it isn’t everything
The question we’re asking
This week on Substack Seminary, we are talking about an important—but often overlooked—idea in ministry:
sustainability.
Or said differently:
viability.
And right away, there are two important tensions worth naming.
Not everything important is sustainable
First, just because something isn’t sustainable doesn’t mean it isn’t important or impactful.
Disaster relief is an obvious example. If you were starting a tornado relief ministry in your area, you would obviously hope it’s a one-and-done effort. Tornadoes ripping through your community every week would not be sustainable for anyone.
Similarly, writers like Chad Brooks and Erin Cash have noted that churches can still be vital and faithful even if they are unlikely to exist long-term—such as congregations in dying small towns.
The point is to understand your context.
Is your ministry:
responding to a short-term crisis?
serving a declining population?
addressing a temporary but urgent need?
If so, plan accordingly.
Not everything sustainable matters
But the reverse is also true.
Just because something is sustainable doesn’t mean it is impactful—or even alive.
Many churches with large endowments have relatively low per-capita giving. More, most of us probably know congregations that are financially secure but spiritually stagnant: a handful of attendees, little vision, and minimal interest in renewal or mission.
Sustainability alone is not the goal.
A ministry can survive long after it stops bearing fruit.
Faith, planning, and “God invented math”
Still, if you believe your ministry is addressing an ongoing need—and you hope it will endure—then planning matters.
Yes, I believe in trusting God.
Yes, I believe faith sometimes requires risk.
But as others have said:
“God invented math.”
I think of Abram and Sarai. God called them into an unknown future, but they still brought cattle and livestock with them. They trusted God while also preparing for the journey ahead.
The Apostle Paul made tents.
Faith and sustainability are not opposites.
Planning for the journey ahead
None of us fully know where we are going to end up.
But many of us sense that God is calling us somewhere new.
The question is not whether we trust God.
The question is:
How do we create structures, rhythms, and plans that allow the work to endure along the way?
Maybe that means bivocational ministry.
Maybe it means slower growth.
Maybe it means redefining success entirely.
Whatever the path, sustainability is not about control.
It’s about stewardship.
Why this matters for Substack Seminary
This is the kind of tension we’re exploring in Substack Seminary.
Not simplistic answers, but honest questions about ministry, leadership, sustainability, and faithfulness in a changing world.
Because viability matters.
But viability alone is not enough.
If you’re trying to discern what kind of ministry is worth sustaining—and how to sustain it faithfully—this is the work.
Join us.
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