New Seasons Require New Systems
May 14, 2025
Have you ever looked at your week ahead and thought,
“Everything’s in place. I’ve got all the time, energy, and resources I need. This is going to be a breeze”?
No?
Yeah...me neither.
As a pastor and coach, I feel like I live most days just slightly beyond my capacity. And recently, I had a conversation with a pastor friend that reminded me: that feeling isn’t a sign of failure — it’s a sign of growth.
He was overwhelmed.
Not burned out. Not passionless. Just stuck.
His church was growing. His vision was expanding. But he couldn’t keep up. And as we unpacked his situation, it hit me:
The issue wasn’t his calling. It was his systems.
Systems Are for Seasons
Most of us think that if something used to work, it should still work.
But the truth is, systems are built for specific seasons — and when your season changes, your systems have to change too.
Think of it like parenting:
What worked when you had one toddler doesn’t work when you’ve got three teenagers. Same goes for leadership. The calendar system that worked when you were solo-staff won’t work with a team of five. The way you followed up with guests when your church had 50 people will collapse under the weight of 500.
And that’s not a bad thing.
It’s a sign of growth.
Two Kinds of Systems Every Leader Needs to Evaluate
Let me break it down:
1. Personal Systems – How you manage your own:
– Time
– Energy
– Money
– Priorities
– Habits
2. Organizational Systems – How your team or ministry handles:
– Communication
– Volunteer development
– Event execution
– Onboarding and follow-up
– Vision casting
My friend had outgrown both. And maybe you have too.
Stuck Doesn’t Mean You’re the Wrong Person
One of the most dangerous lies leaders believe is:
“If I’m overwhelmed, maybe I’m not cut out for this anymore.”
But often, the problem isn’t your calling — it’s that your structure is out of sync with your season. And that’s fixable.
Let me give you a simple framework to move forward.
3 Steps to Shift Your Systems
1. Audit Your Systems
Ask:
– What’s not working that used to?
– Where are the fires flaring up most often?
– Where do I feel the most chaos or confusion?
Where there’s pain, there’s probably a system missing or outdated.
2. Rebuild One System This Week
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Just pick one:
– Delegation
– Donor communication
– Volunteer onboarding
– Sunday prep
– Weekly rhythm
Then sketch out a 2.0 version. It doesn’t have to be perfect. It just has to be intentional.
3. Invite Outside Eyes
Clarity comes faster with feedback.
Ask a coach, a trusted leader, or even a teammate:
“What do you see here? What’s missing? What would you improve?”
Don’t Let Old Systems Choke New Growth
I want to leave you with this reminder:
Your systems don’t limit your calling — they support it.
If God has led you into a new season, it’s time to let go of what worked last season.
Let’s not confuse hitting our capacity with hitting a wall in our calling.
It may just be time for a system upgrade.
If you’re ready to take that next step, I’d love to offer you a free 30-minute strategy session to help you identify the exact system you need to rebuild right now. You can grab a spot here: www.gabekolstad.com
Cheering you on,
Gabe Kolstad
www.gabekolstad.com
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