Almost two years ago, I agreed to make a move out to the Pacific Northwest to help my friend and lead pastor bring about the renewal of a large and historic church in our denomination. There was definitely an excitement about the move but also some anxious thoughts and feelings that accompanied such a large move geographically. But the idea of helping renew a church also came with its fair share of excitement and anxious thoughts.

Now almost two years in and we are seeing some progress. The thing about renewal is that it is never quick and it takes time and determination to stay the course. But it also requires a great foundation. Now the church we are at has a great history and which gives it a fairly solid foundation, but there are some new things that need to be done which means we have to build a new foundation on which to build.

Being from Kansas originally, I am a diehard Kansas State University fan. I bleed purple. So for me, the greatest example of patience and willingness to go the distance and build the necessary foundation for success is none other than Coach Bill Snyder.

Bill Snyder took Kansas State, a team that was one of the worst in the NCAA and built it into a regular contender in the Big 12. He didn’t start winning as soon as he got to Manhattan but he began to build a foundation that would allow him to help young men experience success both on and off the field. Coach Snyder is about to begin his 26th season as head coach of KSU and one thing has stayed constant, the foundation he has paid close attention to has served to help him become the winningest coach ever in K-State history and also bring about the greatest turnaround in college football. All of his success has been built on a successful foundation rather than a win now at any cost mentality.

This idea of a successful foundation, is crucial in all aspects of life and it takes time and great detail to build a solid foundation in any program or organization. To enjoy and secure long term success that lasts it requires that one be willing to invest and do the hard work of laying a deep foundation that will support the structure.

I write this as a reminder to myself as I am very susceptible to the desire of win now ideology. In order for a ministry and a church to be successful and maintain for the long haul, there must be a significant and solid foundation built deep into the ground to support the long term growth and building of God’s Kingdom. Building a foundation is not sexy. It is not flashy. Most of the work is never seen. But it is necessary and the higher and wider the ministry or church you know God has called you to build then the wider and deeper the foundation must go.

Success is important necessary to encourage the heart of the one who is working where God has called them, but the necessity of building a solid foundation in any ministry outweighs instant success and growth. While it can feel good, look good, and stroke our ego, without a solid foundation to rely on, grow too fast and the organization will often implode on itself when the dynamic leader leaves or fails.

Building a foundation in youth ministry is tough. Usually because we long for and are burdened for life transformation in our students and their friends. It can be come very tempting to do anything necessary to get teens in our doors. But without a solid foundation of support, it won’t last. It takes being willing to build a team, put some hard unseen work into the students that are there. It takes time.

The plain and simple truth, solid and lasting foundations take time. They are necessary to the ongoing success of a ministry and necessary to see beyond this year or this group of people. In order for the work that is seen to last, we must invest more time and energy in the work that will often never be seen by the crowd. It is time consuming. It will be frustrating and there will be times when instant success will come calling and be way more tempting but the foundational work that you do now will help you get to where you see the lasting growth that is necessary for lasting the long haul.