When launching anything new, most people want it to be perfect. But, opening before it is perfect is often better than waiting for perfection.

One of my friends opened a yogurt store before he had signs, pictures, or decorations. Instead of a cool clock on the wall, he put up a piece of paper with “clock” written on it. My friend greeted everyone that came in and explained how they were his special guests. The store has taken off—and they still don’t have the clock up.

In church, people love to be in on the ground floor. The sound system doesn’t have to be perfect. All of the walls don’t have to be painted. The carpet might not even be laid.

When any ministry is starting or suddenly experiences growth, most people want to organize it and immediately put systems in place. While over time you’ll be wise to do both, I prefer to enjoy the chaos in the beginning.

As a leader, you can maximize the chaos and use it to your advantage. Since it is more than you planned for, it’s not a bad idea to tell people with excitement, “Wow! God grossly exceeded our expectations!”

Instead of apologizing that the parking is tight, the classes are full, or that people are standing in the aisles, it’s great to enthusiastically say, “Thank God for what he is doing!”

Instead of trying to figure out how to handle the growth, work with it. For example, on our newest campus, we opened the doors with two services. One the first week, we made an audible to add two more, totaling four.

Do you think it was chaotic going from two to four services in one week? Absolutely. It was wonderfully chaotic. But no one was expecting perfection. Somehow it simply felt like a “blessed mess.”