How To Overcome Growing Pains In Business
Every business leader welcomes growth—but it doesn’t come without its fair share of growing pains. Success brings new customers, more staff, and greater impact. But it also introduces complexity: stretched leadership, communication breakdowns, cultural drift, and operational bottlenecks. These challenges are natural in any expanding organization—but they don't have to derail momentum.
I recall when I first started my company there were only 5 or 6 staff members in the office. At that point we didn’t really have departments, we simply worked together. Communication was free flowing and regular, and everyone understood their role. As our projects increased in quantity and complexity, it required that we brought in reinforcements, we needed more than one person doing the same job – so we created departments. This made certain areas more effective, but it also put a strain on our communication. It made seeing the bigger picture more challenging and we started to see conflicts arise that compromised the unity of our team. The decision to bring more people on was the right decision and we needed departments for this new phase of growth, but simultaneously we had to address the problem of communication and get back to the idea we were all one team. As a result, we started to implement a weekly communication meeting. We created spaces for connection, we celebrated birthdays together. Team leads met with other team leads. We prioritized building relationship with each other.
Scripture, particularly Acts 6, offers powerful insight for navigating these critical moments of growth.
In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews[a] among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”
5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.
Acts 6:1-7 NIV
1. Growth Brings Complexity
In Acts 6, the early church faced a pivotal challenge: as the number of disciples grew, so did the administrative and relational demands. A dispute arose over the distribution of food to widows—certain groups felt overlooked. Similarly, businesses often find that rapid growth exposes weak systems, neglected teams, or underserved customers.
Lesson: Growth doesn’t just mean more success; it demands better systems. Leaders must identify areas being unintentionally neglected and respond with care and strategy.
2. Leadership Overload Requires Delegation
Just like in Exodus 18, where Jethro advised Moses to share the load, the apostles in Acts 6 realized they couldn’t manage everything alone. They needed to stay focused on preaching and prayer—but that meant raising up new leaders to meet the community's practical needs.
Lesson: As a business grows, founders and key leaders must shift from “doing everything” to building teams. Delegating isn't about giving up control—it's about multiplying impact.
3. Problems Are Opportunities for Structure
Rather than ignoring the problem, the apostles confronted it. They gathered the community, named the issue, and implemented a solution: choosing seven trusted, Spirit-filled individuals to manage the food distribution. This moment was more than crisis control—it was a turning point in how the church operated.
Lesson: Don’t avoid internal challenges. Use them as opportunities to build new structures, clarify roles, and empower others to lead. Great leaders don’t just solve problems—they build frameworks that prevent them in the future.
4. Unity Requires Intentional Culture
The apostles’ decision didn’t just resolve a logistical issue—it preserved unity. In any growing business, divisions can form between departments, leadership levels, or cultural groups. As Paul later wrote in 1 Corinthians 1:10, unity is essential: “Let there be no divisions among you.”
Lesson: Leaders must cultivate shared vision and relational trust. Team-building, transparent communication, and celebrating wins together all help preserve unity.
5. Empowered Leaders Sustain Growth
The early church chose capable, Spirit-led individuals—and trusted them with real responsibility. This wasn’t symbolic leadership; it was substantive empowerment. Their action allowed the apostles to focus on their calling, while others stepped up and served effectively.
Lesson: Business health requires multiplying leaders. Invest in people who demonstrate character and competence, and empower them with authority and support. When leadership expands, the organization thrives.
Ultimately, Acts 6 reminds us that growth isn’t the enemy—it’s an invitation to mature, restructure, and release. By facing challenges head-on and empowering others, we build organizations that are not only scalable but sustainable.