A Thought About What You’re Stuck On

Why is it so hard to move forward when you’re stuck?

It happens everywhere. Businesses get stuck. Schools get stuck. Families get stuck. Even entire industries get stuck. But after years of working in the church, I’ve realized that church may be the most stuck space of all.

Why? It comes down to two things: a common problem and an uncommon one.

The common problem: We tend to fight the last war.

Author Robert Greene notes how generals often lose because they cling to tactics from the last war, ignoring new technology and strategies. As Billy Oppenheimer writes, “You must consciously wage war against the past and force yourself to react to the present moment. Sometimes you must force yourself to strike out in new directions…Attack problems from new angles, adapting to the landscape and to what you’re given.”

Are you still using the same tired methods?

It’s easy to do. Everyone does it.

In publishing, major houses are still chasing the success of Purpose Driven Lifelike it’s 2003 or treating influencers like they’ll sell books forever. But those eras are gone.

Here’s an example from sports: Andre Agassi was stuck in his tennis career until he changed coaches. His new coach pointed out that Agassi was stuck because he was trying to hit a winner on every ball. That approach worked when he was younger, but not at the pro level. The coach told him, “Stop thinking about your own game. Start focusing on your opponent’s weaknesses.”

Whatever has you stuck, maybe it’s time to change your approach.

Lose the old tactics.

Find a new angle.

The uncommon problem: In church, we tend to sacralize old methods.

We don’t just cling to the past—we make it holy. We build customs and rules around methods, confusing what’s timeless (good doctrine) with what’s cultural. I call this “confusing Jesus with the horse he rode in on.”

Organs? Once a profane innovation, now sacralized dogma.

Drums and guitars? Give them time—they’re heading the same way.

What’s wild is that this sacralizing tendency is creeping into secular spaces too. Political debates, cultural movements, and even elections can take on a “holy war” tone. Lose an election and double down on your mindset? You’ve sacralized your approach.

So what’s the solution? Creativity.

Resist the urge to repeat the last winner just because it worked before. As producer Rick Rubin once told a famous band, “If it’s the same chords as your last single, it can’t even be on the album. You already did that.”

The same goes for you.

You’ve got to think differently.

(With much love to Billy Oppenheimer for the anecdotes and inspiration).