When Ministry Gets Complicated, Look Again.

Pastor Elijah shares how simplicity isn't shallow - it’s spiritual alignment.

You know how God uses everything and that nothing’s wasted? Well I originally met Elijah Eldredge via Modern Mission. A clothing company I set up whilst Church Planting in India as a creative opportunity and ability to raise finance/fund our missionary work out there. Elijah has been a cheerleader and an encouragement to me for over 5 years now! I’ve watched and admired from afar the work that God has done in his life, and how God has grown his impact and influence since being faithful with the areas that God has placed in his hands.

My goal in Wisdom Digest as always is to sift and profile the gold in the leaders around me. I’m a lifelong learner, and have the privilege to hear from exceptional people. That’s what this is, a community of leaders committed to never stop learning. I hope you enjoy hearing straight from Elijah’s heart…

It’s That Simple: See Jesus. Know Jesus. Be Like Jesus.

Elijah Eldredge is a pastor at Alive Church with over seven years in full time ministry. Formerly the Creative Director, he now helps lead Church Operations under the Executive Pastor, combining creativity with systems to serve people with Excellence.

There’s something powerful happening in our church and I don’t say that lightly. Over

the past seven years at Alive Church, I’ve had the privilege of watching God do the

miraculous: not just in the lives of the people who walk through our doors, but in our

staff, our volunteers, and even in our vision. We’ve experienced provision we didn’t

plan for. We’ve seen territory extended that we didn’t ask for. And most of all, we’ve

witnessed God show up—not in flashy, headline-grabbing ways—but in the steady,

consistent, unmistakable presence of Jesus.

As we look ahead to launching another Alive Church campus, I find myself reflecting on how we’ve gotten here. And truthfully, it hasn’t always been simple. Often, the way we build, plan, and execute ministry is layered and complicated, sometimes unnecessarily so. That’s not a knock on our team or strategy; it’s just the reality of leading in a fast-paced, high-capacity environment. Over time, I’ve learned, that complicated leadership can cloud clarity. That’s why my leadership philosophy has been shaped by a deep conviction to pursue simplicity. Not as a shortcut, but to bring focus, freedom, and alignment back to the center.

Three Simple Goals

These three statements have shaped my leadership, my team building, and my mindset for ministry:

1. Help people see Jesus.

2. Help people know Jesus.

3. Help people be like Jesus.

That’s the playbook. They serve as my filter, my guide, and my constant recalibration

point. Now don’t get me wrong: we absolutely need leadership pipelines. We need

systems, marketing, deep theology—all of it. But if the things we need to have a strong

ministry aren’t producing Christ-following disciples, then somewhere along the way,

ministry itself has become our message, rather than the original mission.

1. Help People See Jesus

The first goal is about encounter. Before anything else, we want people to have a real,

personal, undeniable encounter with the living Jesus. That moment when eyes are

opened, hope is found, and something shifts in the soul. This is why we care deeply

about the atmosphere of our services, the intentionality of our messaging, and the

accessibility of our worship. We create opportunities for people to see Him.

This is where creativity plays a key role. As a former Creative Director, I believe in

clarity. When people walk into our services, they should be able to immediately catch a

glimpse of something greater than us. Every detail, from graphics to the parking lot, is

part of Jesus to being seen.

2. Help People Know Jesus

Once someone has seen Him, we want them to know Him. To linger. To learn. This is

discipleship. Not just the transfer of information, but the transformation of identity.

We help people know Jesus through our small groups, our Growth Track, our

preaching, and our college. Knowing Jesus means moving beyond an emotional high

and building a foundation of faith. It means introducing people to Scripture,

community, prayer, and purpose. Discipleship is often slower than we’d like, but when

we commit to walking with people, Jesus becomes more than a moment; He becomes

their life’s mission.

3. Help People Be Like Jesus

This third goal is where it all comes alive. Pun intended. Once someone sees Him and

knows Him, the next step is to live like Him. To serve, to love, to lead, to go. This is

activation. At Alive Church, we’re intentional about giving people purpose early. You

don’t have to be perfect to start making a difference.

We believe that Jesus didn’t just call people to follow Him, He empowered them to

carry His message. Whether it’s through leading a group, serving on a team, mentoring

students, or creating content, our heart is to help people reflect Jesus in everyday life.

Simplicity Isn’t Shallow

Don’t get me wrong, ministry is complex. People are layered. Teams require structure.

Budgets demand stewardship. And let’s be honest, church leadership can sometimes

feel messy.

But it doesn’t have to be complicated.

We often complicate the things God made complex, but He never intended for the

church to be chaotic. In Colossians 1:26–29, the Apostle Paul says it beautifully:

“The mystery in a nutshell is just this: Christ is in you. So therefore, you can look

forward to sharing in God’s glory. It’s that simple. That is the substance of our

Message. We preach Christ, warning people not to add to the Message. We teach in

a spirit of profound common sense so that we can bring each person to maturity. To

be mature is to be basic. Christ! No more, no less.” (The Message Translation)

That’s been my conviction. Christ. No more, no less. To be mature is to be basic. To be

basic is to be clear. And to be clear is to be powerful.

The Invitation to the Church

If I could encourage other leaders with anything, it would be this: don’t underestimate

the power of simplicity. You don’t have to have the biggest budget or the flashiest logo

to help people meet Jesus. You just need clarity of vision, consistency of leadership,

and the courage to stay focused on what matters most. We’re not called to build

empires. We’re called to build disciples. And discipleship begins when someone sees

Jesus, knows Jesus, and then chooses to be like Jesus.

It’s that simple.

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