Leaders & Teachers: Avoid Stagnation

Stagnation happens in bodies of water when the water stops flowing or moving.

Stagnated water can lead to contamination, becoming a breeding ground for insects, bacteria and parasites which leads to disease and possibly death.  This becomes a dangerous situation, hazardous to health.

Stagnation happens in bodies of believers when teachers and leaders become satisfied with status quo.  They basically stand still, making little headway.  Soon the church becomes unhealthy, no longer able to offer a cup of life-giving water to others.  Some of these churches eventually die.

Leaders can plateau, maintaining rather developing, becoming, or moving forward.

Teachers can get stuck in ruts, using the same methods over and over.

What will it take for leaders and teachers to avoid becoming stagnant?  . . . What does it take to prevent water from stagnating?

1. Movement: By keeping the water moving, stirring it up, you will prevent stagnation.
    
   Set goals, based on prayer, and constantly work toward them. Always look ahead to what God wants you to do.
    
   Try new ways of accomplishing the same task. Teachers, look at the list of possibilities when it comes to Bible teaching methods and do something different.
    
2. Drainage: By letting water seep out as new water comes in, you can help avoid stagnation.
    
   Invest into people’s lives and do not simply run a program or teach a class.
    
   Reach out to others outside of your group, giving to them from the vast reservoir poured into you.

The Apostle Paul indicated that stagnation was not an option for him when he said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on …” (Phil. 3:12-13)  What about you?  Are you taking steps to avoid stagnation?