I've been considering a concept recently, especially for those of us venturing into self-employment and ministry work. It's about the foundation we're building on. When we're building, whether it's a new ministry or the business side of our ministry, there are so many things happening behind the scenes that people don't see. This unseen work is what's actually leading us toward the vision God has given us—the vision we've set to move from starting a ministry to building it His way vs the world's way, from the ground up.
Most of the time, we don't give enough weight to the fact that even if we aren't seeing the immediate traction, the metrics, or the status that we think confirms we're on the right path, there are seasons in building that require us to remain unseen. It requires us to simply do the work. This means creating the content, building the platform, and establishing all the behind-the-scenes systems necessary for what we’re called to build.
I was sitting down with the Lord recently, asking Him, "Why am I not seeing the traction? Why don't I feel like I'm moving or going anywhere as I build this vision?". His answer was simple: "You're building the foundation."
Think about any building project. The foundation is the one thing you don't see, but you know it’s there. You pour in the time, the effort, the materials, and the investment to put it in place. But once the vision is built on top of it, the foundation is hidden—yet it is the most critical component.
We have to be careful that we are not trying to build our vision on the wrong foundation. This brings us back to the foundational scripture in Luke 6:48-49: Which builder would you be? The one who builds on a strong foundation, or the one who builds with no foundation at all?
We see so many examples of this today. People go viral or establish a ministry, but because of the pressure—because they started it based on a trend or without the proper tools and systems—they weren't able to maintain that level of success. Many ministries don't take off because they didn't know how to pivot; they lacked the core skills and the right mindset.
This highlights why we need to stop putting so much pressure on ourselves to be at a level that our vision is simply not ready for yet. We must be comfortable with being where we are for a season while we diligently build the foundation God has called us to construct.
Building a solid ministry or the business side of your ministry requires serious behind-the-scenes work:
Mentally, Emotionally, and Spiritually: There are things we need to learn and become more adapted to as we build the vision God's way.
Financially: We need to be investing in the right resources.
Nobody tells you that the strategy you're implementing—someone else’s, or an idea you thought was good—might flop. Nobody tells you that you're going to have to pick yourself back up and keep going. And nobody warns you about the delays or the pushback you’ll face from those around you who want you to follow their way, versus God's.
To overcome these challenges, we have to be in God's word daily, renewing our minds and putting His word at the forefront.
Developing your relationship with God is the single most important key to building a ministry His way. Why? Because He knows the actual outcome of following a certain path. By seeking Him, you are doing your due diligence and saying, “I don’t know if this is going to work, but I trust Your will and not my own.”
Jesus said, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42). He was saying that even though He was unsure and the path ahead was painful, if it was God’s will, He would go through it.
There will always be sacrifices we have to make behind the scenes—work that nobody sees—so that when we do get up there, we are functioning and running and doing the thing God called us to do. This is because we've done the work; we’ve built on the right principles, values, strategy, and tools or systems.
Going from unemployed to starting a ministry takes time, and it absolutely requires us to:
Develop our skills.
Acquire the tools we need to operate at the required level.
We’ve all seen ministries fail because they weren't built on the right foundation. They were built because the person saw an opportunity to make money, not because they saw an opportunity to serve God. They built it to get seen and be known, seeking material comfort and notoriety.
But we need to be discerning between a good idea from a God idea. We need to know how to go into situations and come out on top. These are the foundational tools we need to build in this season.
I encourage you to seek God on what your foundation should look like. What are all the things you need to be doing right now, even when people can’t see you, so that the foundation is built on the right source—built on God?
Build a strong foundation so that your vision will be able to succeed and last for many years to come. Do what you need to do, so God can do the rest.
"While the foundation is the one thing we don't see, it is the key to our success. This is why shifting our focus from visible metrics to investing in the necessary work that often goes unnoticed is the only way we will see the vision truly advance." —by Self-Employed By God