From time to time someone will ask me:  ”How do you know when it’s time to move on to another Church, ministry or opportunity?”  I’ve wrestled with this question a number of times along the way.  Here’s how I approach it.

Two quick “filters” before I share the indicators that it may be time to hit the road:

1. You shouldn’t leave just because things get tough.  ”Obstacles are not always indicators” that it is time to move on, because ministry is not always easy.  In fact, it’s usually pretty tough.  If you are involved in ministry of any kind, you can pretty much expect to encounter obstacles and challenges every week.  That’s just how it goes.  I will go so far as to say that obstacles are usually (though not always) terrible indicators of direction in this regard.
2. You shouldn’t be in too big of a hurry to leave. I think many people hit the road way too soon in ministry.  Usually it takes at least 2 to 3 years in one place just to deal with the “messes of our own making.”

But just as it is a mistake to leave a position too soon in ministry, it is also a mistake to stay too long.

So in the next few posts, I’ll share some of the things that could be indicators that your time in your current position is drawing to a close and your next step in ministry is  just ahead.