Have you gotten off track with your ministry? Have you started something that isn't working out?

In 1870, Maria Shrode traveled by wagon train from East Texas to California with four stepchildren and four young children of her own. She kept a diary throughout most of their journey.

On Friday, June 17, she wrote: "Moved on across the creek. Took the wrong road and traveled about four miles out of our way. Found we were wrong, turned round and took the back track and came to the right road, but one of the teamsters turned a wagon over in turning around. But it did not do much damage except bursting a couple of flour barrels open, so we picked up the things and reloaded and traveled on. Camped in a live oak grove. Rained a little that night." (See Ho for California!, edited by Sandra L. Myres, p. 260)

Church leaders are bound to take the wrong road from time to time, especially when we are venturing into new territory. This may be true in terms of the strategy we choose for carrying out our ...