Quitters Never Win – Except When They Do
Kill It Before It Kills Your Soul
In a recent conversation with a group of preachers, one person shared that they were 6 months into an 18-month sermon series on Luke, and she’d appreciate some ideas to keep it fresh.
We offered some good suggestions—different perspectives, occasional reviews, changing formats. But at some point, I said:
“You know… if it’s not working, you can stop.”
She looked surprised. Not because she was miserable—she still had ideas, still had energy—but the idea that she could quit hadn’t really crossed her mind.
And I don’t think she’s alone.
Ministry Is Full of “Supposed To”
You start a new Sunday night service that never takes off.
You launch a small group model based on a great new book.
You commit to a full year of theme-based worship planning.
It’s going to be transformative.
It’s going to reach the people.
It’s going to make your board happy.
And then—it doesn’t.
And instead of cutting it loose, you keep dragging it along like a dead ox across the desert. You blame yourself. You double down. You wait for it to magically come back to life.
You suffer. Your team suffers. Your energy bleeds out. All because someone told us: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.”
The Sunk Cost Fallacy
Economists have a term for this trap: the sunk cost fallacy. It’s the idea that just because we’ve invested time, energy, or money into something, we have to keep going—even if it’s clearly not working.
Churches spiritualize it:
“But we already planned out the full year…”
“We promised the congregation…”
“We already paid the licensing fee…”
But sticking with something just because you started it is a terrible reason to keep going. Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat Pray Love fame) applies this to reading a book: “I will drop a book like it's hot if it doesn't hold my attention. If you don't have me by page 10 or 20, you ain't gonna get me.”
Replace “book” with “Lenten devotional series” or “third hour-long committee meeting” and think about how that makes you feel?
Ross’s Couch
Remember the “pivot” scene from Friends?
Ross is trying to haul a couch up a stairwell. It’s not working. Chandler’s yelling. Rachel’s confused. Ross just keeps yelling “PIVOT!” until the whole thing gets stuck.
That’s ministry leadership in a nutshell.
Sometimes, the couch isn’t getting up the stairs.
Sometimes, the stairwell is too narrow.
Sometimes, you need to give up the couch and try a futon.
When to Quit: A Tiny Discernment Hack
If you’re wondering whether to stop something, try this:
1. Ask: “Is it bearing fruit?”
Not just attendance numbers, but energy, impact, alignment with your values.
2. Ask: “Who is this still serving?”
If the answer is “my ego” or “a promise I made in January,” you’ve got your answer.
3. Ask: “What’s the cost of continuing?”
If it’s draining your team, your time, or your spirit—it’s costing too much.
Even Jesus pivoted.
He sent disciples out two by two—and sometimes, they shook the dust off their feet and walked away. He preached to crowds—then snuck off to recharge. He let some people walk away sad. He didn’t chase them down with better programming. There is holy wisdom in knowing when to stop.
Your Permission Slip
So, here it is, church-leader to church-leader:
You are allowed to end the sermon series early.
You can cancel the event.
You can say, “This didn’t work. We learned something. We’re done now.”
You can quit—and still win. There are even ways of creating offramps to avoid “quitting:”
“We’ll try this for 3 months, then evaluate.”
“We’ll run this pilot through Advent, and then decide.”
“We’ll review this format quarterly.”
Make quitting part of the plan, not a sign of failure.
What’s One Thing You Need to Quit?
Seriously. What is it?
Write it down. Tell a trusted colleague.
Hold a funeral if you need to. But set it down.
You’ve got better things to carry.