Pastor, how do you truly measure success? Look deep for the real answer, not the one you think the Bible requires. Let me pose a few more questions to help you get that answer. (Work through these one-at-a-time.) What keeps you awake at night – because it is positive or because it is negative? What is the most rewarding part of your work? When do you feel you have failed? When do you feel a sense of worth or achievement? What in your work frustrates or discourages you? As you reflect on each of these questions, what is behind your answers – values, expectations, the input of others, written or unwritten job descriptions, etc.? I believe most of us want to be successful, and our measure of success is linked to how we feel about ourselves and our work. It also relates to whether or not we feel we are honoring the Lord, valuable in His Kingdom, and being a good steward of our call.
At this point, we need to explore some motives for wanting success. It seems there are several, and this list is not exhaustive.
We have responsibilities, and we don’t want to lose our job.
We want to progress in our career, and we feel a prospective church or ministry needs to see success in our present position.
We want to look good when we visit with colleagues at denominational meetings.
We want past professors to feel good about our post-educational performance.
We want to feel like a success rather than a failure – for self and for our family.
We want a sense of self-actualization – feeling our gifts, abilities, and education have been well used and we have fulfilled our sense of self, ambition, and call.
We want to see God’s Kingdom increase and want to make a positive difference.
We want to bring glory to God through our work.
One category by which we may measure success is fruitfulness. I long have heard about the “3 b’s” in Baptist life, but there really are four – baptisms, “behinds” (in the pews), budgets, and buildings. All of these are tangible results, and all of them can be good if they are connected with advancing the Kingdom. Tangible results certainly resonate with the standards in every other field, and who would suggest God does not want a ministry to be fruitful? In fact, Mark Clifton, in Reclaiming Glory: Revitalizing Dying Churches, posits unfruitful churches do not glorify God, are not God’s will, and do not have a right to continue using Kingdom resources (i.e. staying in business while remaining unfruitful). He defines fruitfulness as “having a pattern of making disciples who make disciples who have a positive impact on their community” (p. 7). Clifton’s definition helps us move from simple buildings, budgets, attendance, and baptisms to look more specifically for tangible Kingdom impact. I would add that fruit may take awhile to develop and become evident, and the fruit of reproducing and community-impacting disciples may or may not result in increased baptisms, income, attendance, buildings, or programs at your church.
But, what do we do when a ministry seems unfruitful but the pastor is giving all in faithful service? What about the Biblical prophets who were ignored, whose messages did not turn the people’s hearts, and who were persecuted and killed? What about the Apostle Paul, who was not well received by everyone? He even wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4, “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” (ESV). I would assert faithfulness also is a valid measure of success. Have you been faithful in prayer and in the Word? Have you been a faithful steward of your sheep and the opportunities and gifts you have? Have you guarded your witness, remained dependent on the Lord, and loved the Lord, your family, your church, and the lost faithfully? There are many questions about faithfulness that, when answered in the affirmative, demonstrate success.
However, what do we do with the tension between fruitfulness and faithfulness? Does faithfulness always yield fruit – it seems not always to do so. Should we keep the tension or dismiss it – I think it is a healthy tension. Honestly, I don’t believe success should be measured exclusively in either manner, as long as we have a Biblical understanding of faithfulness and fruitfulness. Let me pose a few questions rather than trying to settle the issue. Answering these questions fully and honestly may require the help of a coach or accountability partner.
Are you being faithful in every area of your personal and ministerial life?
Are the standards of faithfulness and the things to which you are trying to be faithful the right things?
At what point does faithfulness mean staying in a place, and at what point does faithfulness mean a move?
How does looking at life and ministry through the lens of seeking the Kingdom influence your understanding of faithfulness?
Is faithfulness ever a cop-out for fruitlessness?
How might an improper understanding of (or focus on) fruitfulness lead us to compromise faithfulness for tangible results?
What kind of fruit are you looking for and in what places?
How possible is it that fruit is growing in places and ways you are not aware of? How might you find out?
What stories do you need to hear to realize fruit is being produced, and how might you get people to tell you? What stories of fruit do you need to remind yourself of?
As you think about your own faithfulness and fruitfulness, what can you celebrate? What needs improvement?
What if faithfulness means quitting some unfruitful practices and discovering better ones?
What are your best next steps?
(Note: If you would like to visit with me about a coaching relationship in order to work through some of these questions, feel free to contact me.)