When the To-Do List Starts Preaching a False Gospel
It happens quietly. At first, we’re just trying to be faithful—responding to needs, saying yes to good things, pouring ourselves out for the sake of the Kingdom. But over time, our to-do list starts growing teeth. What once felt like ministry now feels like a treadmill. Exhaustion replaces joy. Discernment gets replaced with desperation.
If you’re like me, you’ve had weeks where everything feels urgent. Every idea sounds fruitful. Every invitation feels like a “yes.” But in our effort to do it all, we risk doing very little well.
That’s where a simple tool, something not originally born in a theological journal, has found its way into my toolkit. It’s called the Impact vs. Effort Matrix, and though it’s often used in business circles, it might just be one of the most pastorally wise tools I’ve discovered for evaluating what’s truly fruitful.
What Is the Impact vs. Effort Matrix?
Picture a grid with two axes:
- One side measures Impact – how much fruit this task, project, or idea could bear.
- The other measures Effort – how much time, energy, money, and manpower it will cost to execute.
You end up with four quadrants:
Each quadrant in the matrix invites a different kind of stewardship.
Quick Wins are low-effort tasks with high impact—small actions that can spark momentum and encourage your team (think: sending a thank-you email, updating a signage issue, or simplifying a form).
Major Projects are high-effort, high-impact initiatives that require significant time, planning, and coordination, such as launching a new discipleship pathway or renovating a facility. These are worth the effort, but they demand pacing and prayer.
Fill-ins (low impact, high effort) may feel productive in the moment, but often yield little fruit—think of reorganizing storage for the third time or designing a resource no one has asked for.
Time Wasters (low impact, low effort) are the distractions that creep in—tasks that seem easy but don’t serve your mission. Identifying what belongs in each quadrant doesn’t just clarify your calendar—it clarifies your calling.
The matrix helps us ask honest questions about our limited resources. It reminds us that not all good ideas are good stewardship—and that some of the most kingdom-impacting actions may actually be simple, overlooked “quick wins.”
Biblical Wisdom for Prioritization
The book of Proverbs is filled with wisdom about intentional planning. “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance,” Proverbs 21:5 reminds us. And Jesus himself, before teaching about the cost of discipleship, asks, “Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost…?” (Luke 14:28).
To prioritize well is not to abandon faith—it’s to live out faithfulness. It’s to count the cost and consider the fruit. It’s to name that we are not God and cannot multiply loaves on our own. It is to act as stewards, not saviors.
The Ministry Application: Why This Grid Matters
Ministry isn’t a business. But we do have limited time, energy, and people. And every time we say “yes” to something that bears little fruit, we say “no” to something that could bear much.
Here’s how this tool can bless your church leadership:
- Clarify What Matters This Season: Not all goals are for now. Use the matrix with your team to decide which ideas are for this quarter, and which are worth shelving.
- Empower Others Wisely: Volunteers can thrive when they’re given low-effort, high-impact assignments. It builds momentum and confidence. Steward their time, too.
- Reclaim Margin and Health: By naming what’s not worth doing, you make room to rest, to listen, to Sabbath. Ministry leaders don’t just need more help; we need more discernment.
- Combat the Hustle Gospel: The matrix exposes where we’ve tied our worth to effort instead of fruit. It confronts the idol of busyness and reorients us toward lasting impact.
But What About the Spirit?
If you’re wondering, “Can a grid account for the leading of the Holy Spirit?”—that’s a wise question. The answer is no, not fully. The Spirit blows where He wills. But Scripture shows us again and again that Spirit-filled leadership is never opposed to wisdom.
Use this matrix as a discernment tool, not a dictator. It’s the beginning of a conversation, not the final word. Allow your team to reflect, to pray, and to adjust. And don’t forget to revisit it. Priorities shift. So should your plans.
A Word of Caution: Beware the Planning Fallacy
Studies show that we humans chronically underestimate effort and overestimate impact. (Sound familiar?) That’s why this tool works best when paired with feedback and data:
- Ask: Have we done something like this before? What did it take?
- Pilot new ideas in small ways before betting big.
- Reflect on what actually bore fruit, not just what felt exciting.
As pastors, we’re not just leading projects. We’re forming people. So even as we plan, let’s keep our eyes fixed on the deeper work God is doing beneath every idea and initiative.
A Final Takeaway: Faithful, Not Frenzied
The Impact vs. Effort Matrix won’t solve every ministry problem. But it will help you make decisions that align with your calling, your season, and your actual capacity.
Because the goal isn’t to do more—it’s to do what matters. To give yourself to what is fruitful. To trust that saying no to one thing can actually say yes to deeper faithfulness.