Where should we set the bar in training people to do ministry? It’s tempting to set the bar too high too fast. An athlete training for the high jump wouldn’t start with the bar seven feet high. He or she would start much lower and then work their way up with intentional challenges that require an appropriate amount of stretch. Whenever a certain height was no longer challenging, the bar would be raised.
Similarly, we need to set small, manageable goals in ministry. Setting the bar too high too quickly results in people failing and feeling discouraged, overwhelmed, and frustrated. But by building up to the goal with smaller steps we can celebrate along the way, we create an atmosphere of encouragement and momentum.