I am about to go accepting a job at a very big ministries. The founder is 80 years old and I guess most people know this ministry because of the popularity of the founder. I don't know how long this founder is going to live but if he dies or retired, would the ministries still go on?
Totally depends on who's in line to take over. Some instantly crumble because the "inheritors," shall we say, are incompetent or just not cut out for it or don't want it in the first place. Some seem to wheeze along indefinitely on fumes. Some do really well and even increase massively in size and scope. So, before joining any ministry where the founder (and I assume chief pastor) is coming down the home stretch, I'd want to know who's taking over and how effective and competent and cut out for it he is. Also whether his beliefs and vision for the ministry are the same as the founder's. Ideally I'd want to see videos.
I might also want to take a look at their financials, if they're available. One component of that is, for the United States anyway, relative to donations, will the ministry be able to withstand being stripped of its 501 (c), or deciding itself to break the relationship, because of the direction things are headed in this country?
And then check out who's in the seats every Sunday, and how many seats are actually filled. This is where audience shots (second cam) help when you watch the sermon videos. Thousand-seat sanctuary only 20% filled, and most of them are retirement age? Man, I'd be thinking twice about that one for sure.
The pre-service music can be a good predictor of a ministry's future, too: not just the style but also the quality. If the quality isn't there, as far as I'm concerned the ministry isn't all that concerned about attracting new believers or retaining the ones they have. This has to be driven directly from the top, with utmost urgency, and with proper hiring and retention criteria. Sloppy/weak or just downright incompetent musicians and/or vocalists? Poison. People will walk. A-list (studio-class) musicians and vocalists? The business will be profitable and will increase. Trust me on that -- I've been at this for a while. I could write a book, etc.