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Successful Ministry - 1
Every pastor wants to have a successful ministry. Sadly, many compare themselves to the highly visible leaders of large ministries and feel like a failure in comparison.
The size of your ministry does not determine the level of your success.
With risk of annoying you, I’m going to repeat the previous sentence again, because I’m not sure you believed me the first time.
The size of your ministry does not determine the level of your success.
- Too many pastors have led large ministries while tragically failing personally and morally.
- Too many have sacrificed their families all in the name of “church growth.”
- Too many have lost their personal passion for Jesus while leading His church.
The most successful pastors may not be the ones that others read about, but the ones who faithfully love Jesus and serve people.
I pray you are a truly successful minister of the Gospel!
Visit 
A-M-E-N!
I just read the article from Christianity Today by Walt K from Community of Joy in Phoenix on “attractional” ministry (found at Catalyst site). I believe he would say a big hearty AMEN to your post Craig. And even though I have never been in a big church, one that is deemed “successful” by some standards, this post resonates with me. I want to be one who loves Jesus and that passion shows in my relationship to all others. Thanks for the clear direction and definition of success.
It is SOOOO hard for people to stop comparing in general. I wonder why that truly is? I know …”sin nature”. But why do people carry failure on their shoulders when they look at what in their mind is “the model” of success? This happens in all areas…Body Image, Business, Ministry, Family Roles…everyone is striving to grasp in what their minds is ” SUCCESS”!
I am learning each day that quality and not quantity is truly a blessing, I will never be a size 0…embrace it, I am wired the way I am supposed to be wired, and success is a man made word…God is SO much more than the word “Success”.
I would add,
- too many have made numerical growth so much of the object of church, that they sacrificed the power of the gospel
- too many gave up a personal God
- too many thought discipleship was just a small group or Bible study
- too many limited what God was doing in their lives by forcing their own agenda
- too many made it too comfortable to be in the church/God’s presence
Craig, how do you judge success…or if you are accomplishing what God wants from you? Big or small. What are some of the checks in your own life that measure your effectiveness of loving God and serving people successfully?
Dang. That’s some serious truth right there.
So size doesn’t matter.
It’s hard not to compare your success to other churches, expecially if you pastor in a smaller community. I’ve honestly had to come to grips with this. God cares as much for the smaller commuties as he does the metroplexes. However, its still a little hard to go to conferences of churches of 10-20,000 and not leave there thinking “man, we suck”.
Craig,
Thanks for this encouragement. I’m on staff at a mega-church and this is something that I constantly need to remember.
Andrew, I don’t have any specific measurements in my own life. (Maybe I should.) One time Hybels said he noticed his heart was shrinking for people and for the things of God. For me, a big indicator is honestly trying to judge what is happening in my heart.
[...] Groeschel over at LifeChurch.tv is blogging about success and what it isn’t in the church. Specifically: “The size of your ministry does not [...]
Thanks for this post Craig. The difficulty here is that you are pushing against the norm. I’m not sure what to do with this myself. It’s a reinforcing feedback cycle.
Big #’s + personality + publishing contract + speaking at the latest cool leadership conference + (repeat the whole that)
This pattern is tough to break and it creates an unhealthy norm for pastors to try to live up to. There are very few people who will do what you or Perry or Andy do, or CAN lead like you lead. (nor should they try frankly) but in the feedback cycle, there are only a few individuals in it.
There will come a time when the style of leadership changes to something else (say in the 3- 5 years) but it will likely a new group of similar voices. This will leave us with a new definition of successful leadership and lead a lot of pastor in the cold.
Do you see this? Do you agree? I could be off, but it seems that way from here.
anyway I appreciate the post!
I don’t think we can really measure success…
By many measurements, in a specific time these people failed: Jesus, Noah, Paul, Joseph, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and most of the prophets…
They were unpopular, misunderstood, hated so much they were killed, and didn’t leave anything behind but a legacy of truth…
I think the only way we can personally measure success is by asking ourselves not, “what will work?”… but rather, “was I faithful to do what God said?”..
There are many biblical depictions of people who were “blessed” with some measure of success, and many who it seems weren’t until thousands of years later…
In the end all that matters is God’s view of our “success”…
I wonder how many leaders, laymen, or individuals will say on the last day, “I know god I wasn’t exactly faithful to all that you commanded, but look at the size of my ministry, it worked!”…
i think truly being successful is pleasing God, regardless of what people think… because one of the biggest hindrances to being faithful can be measuring success by human standards…. just ask Saul…
Food for thought…
I have been reading “Fresh Wind, Fresh Fire” by Jim Cymbala. Early in his ministry when he was sick and recovering from a nagging chest cough, God impressed upon him that his ministry was to lead people to pray. When he got back he told his church, “The prayer meeting is the borometer by which the success of the church will be measured” Wow…. not numbers, not tithes, but the prayer meeting. That’s cool.
Right after he asked a visiting pastor to say a few words.
Here is the quote:
“You can tell how popular a church is by who comes on Sunday morning.
You can tell how popular the pastor or evangelist is by who comes on Sunday night.
You can tell how popular Jesus is by who comes to the prayer meeting.”
I am getting destroyed by this book.
Thank you for encouraging me in this. It is indeed hard to work through the emotions you feel when you serve in a difficult situation and others just seem to be moving forward so easily. It’s way too easy to come away with the idea that you are a failure, inept, unsuccessful, and ineffective as a minister. Those feelings will make you quit. I know - I’ve been tempted many times.
I’m in a situation where remaining faithfully where I’ve been called has been extremely difficult. Extremely difficult. We’ve lost half our congregation and struggle financially as a result plus there has been tons of emotional hurt. But our ministry staff has staid put and gone without because we love our people and we believe in the vision of our church. We know God is at work but we are walking through the valley now. We know the end is near and so we faithfully plug away.
And God meets us right where we are. In the midst of difficulty, in the midst of pain, in the midst of struggles and doubts, in the midst of one small step of faith…..to simply stay.
There is both truth and danger in the size doesn’t matter issue….God wants His House FULL…He compels us to go into the highways and hedges to fill it up….so, if God wants the place full so do I…and I hope I never settle for less…but I do understand your point…I don’t feel unsuccessful because we don’t have thousands…but I do feel sad about it…
“The most successful pastors may not be the ones that others read about, but the ones who faithfully love Jesus and serve people.”
I love this statement Craig. I once attended a C3 Conference at Fellowship Church, and one of the guest pastors said “when pride walks on the stage, God walks off.” I will never forget that. God walking off would be a major failure on our parts. And I think it happens in the larger churches more than the smaller ones.
Wise words from Prof. Howard Hendricks at Dallas Seminary. “God will help me be a better me. He won’t help me be a better you.”
txmom4 - Ditto to your post. Although we may be known as a “leader” in our church, God remains the head. For churches of all sizes, it can be a struggle. Too much human and not enough Holy Spirit attitude. I’ve seen it and been part of it, unfortunately. Can see this happen when we “lose the personal passion” for God’s church. Then we supplement our own leadership instead.
Thanks Craig, amazing words….
Thank you Craig!!! That is what we are trying to say to rural pastors all over America here at Brand New Church. We are so proud of what God is doing you…your life and ministry in DROWNING in CHARACTER!!! Thank you from Brand New Church!!
Craig, I needed to read this today. Thank you so much.
[...] He writes short weekly series around a central theme. This week his theme is on success. Man I needed to read this. Go read the post, and keep up with this weeks series it’s going to be great. the central [...]
Riddle, I agree that our “system” tends to highlight large ministries. We have to work hard to train our minds and hearts not to compare.
Shannon, Blessings to your work at Brand New Church!
Success is determined by “faithfulness”… here in America we like to compare ourselves to who’s kickin’ it right now. Who’s speaking at the big conference or adding a new campus each month. Those things are all cool - especially when people are being saved.
But, what about the missionary living in obscurity in an ‘underground’ setting in a country where Christianity is outlawed? They may not see anyone come to Christ for years & years and yet they KNOW they were called and remain faithful. Whoa…
I think we’ll be surprised in Heaven about who get’s the biggest or most crowns & rewards…
Maybe you read this blog everyday and feel like no one notices what you do. Be encouraged, GOD DOES! Serve & be faithful - HE’S RIGHT THERE!
Thanks for your post Craig! It is TOO easy to get sucked into the numbers game. I believe numbers are a sign of blessing/success but NOT always.
I have been a pastor of the same small church for 17 years. I have found greater joy in being a part of peoples lives and living in community with them than I have anywhere or anytime in my life. I have a great opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these people and my desire is to make good use of the wonderful opportunities that God has provided me.
I sometimes attempt to do things like the big city, mega church pastors do, but I have learned that God has placed me in a specific place, with specific gifts and unique situations and that I am to respond to these things in a way that only I can.
I did the math once that if I take our small church in our small city and compared it percentage wise to the population and church size in larger cities (within a 20 mile radius)that many mega churches in large cities ended up being smaller (percentage wise) than our church.
I love being where I am
Quality always trumps quantity.
Robert Coleman in “The Master Plan Of Evangelism,” looks at Jesus’ selection of the few quality leaders-in-training who could carry on after He left. Coleman writes, “We must decide where we want our ministry to count — in the momentary applause of popular recognition or in the reproduction of our lives in a few chosen people who will carry on our work after we have gone.”
I’ll take quality reproduction!
Thanks for the reminder, Craig.
“We need a fresh crop of humble seminarians willing to take the country churches of six and lead them to become the country churches of twenty-five. Churches need a renewed focus on the total reliance of our sovereign God.”
from “essential church?” by Thom S. Rainer and Sam S. Rainer III
I just wanted to say that your blog has been a huge blessing to me. I read every post and enjoy every post. You are teaching me through your blog how to be a better leader. Thank you!
Craig,
I totally agree with where you are coming from. What I am less sure about is where this leads? Does it take is to a place where we are indifferent about numbers? Surely that’s not quite Biblical (there are several places in scripture where the crowd is counted). Would we say size is one of a number of markers of success?
We talk about faithfulness. In Matthew 25, it is the servant who takes what he has been given and turns it into more that Jesus describes as faithful. If we do not see growth, are we being faithful? Are we holding onto things that inhibit growth that we don’t have the guts to let go of (therefore being unfaithful)?
Could you give us some of your thoughts on what is the right way to think about size and numbers in our churches, given what you have (rightly) said about them not being the defining factor of success.
Tom asked some good questions. I don’t think this means we should become indifferent about numbers and spiritual results (which can be difficult to measure). I’m hoping some of the other posts coming this week will address (at least partially) some of your questions.
Others can jump in the discussion with you.
Avery, great stuff! Very wise!
Whenever I was stuck in a time of comparing (and thinking to myself (actually, Satan interjecting in my mind)) how small of an impact I was making compared to others, God really spoke to me through His Word.
He showed me many verses, two of which are:
Genesis 2:6 - “…but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground.”
- God had me see this verse and it really spoke to me. He can have anything come from anywhere…He can raise up in and through me anything. This really spoke to me.
1 Timothy 4:12 - “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.”
- Because I was young I felt that I couldn’t be as effective as a seasoned leader. God disagrees with that. This verse REALLY spoke to me.
Bottom line to me: Be confident and set an example wherever you are in life. God can work through you.
I suggest everyone read Avery’s post (#12) on this page!
God loves ya!
Tom, I know you’re asking Craig to answer the question. I just thought I’d throw this out there too, for Craig to address. My sister and I got into a pretty deep discussion about this one day. I was telling her I believed “if a church wasn’t growing on a regular basis, there is obviously something wrong.” She disagreed with me and said “there are many ministries that aren’t growing because they are focused on equipping those people God has already placed there.” The influence of the smaller church may actually be bigger than at the larger church because you’re equipping leaders who will go out and reach people all over the place, not just in your congregation. So is the church with a larger congregation more successful, or is it the smaller church who is equipping their people better? I believe the best scenario would be a larger church who is teaching and equipping MANY leaders. Our next generation is going to need as many as we can turn out!
I read this blog quite often, but have never commented; however, today I was compelled to say thanks for thinking about churches of all sizes. The resources which your ministry makes available and your connection with many here is evidence of your concern to help many…regardless of church size! What you do does not go unnoticed.
Tom, Thanks so much! We are thrilled to partner with people all over the world. We can do so much more together!
Txmom, This could be a really interesting and important discussion. Wish I had more time today. Keep the discussion going.
Hi Craig,
Thanks so much for confirming what we were all hoping! We planted 7 years ago and it’s taken that long for God to change my understanding of success. Every year my wife and I said, “if we have another year like that one, we’re quitting” mostly because of a lack of church growth.
God has worked on us both a LOT in this area and now we feel more free to serve and love without the pressure of meeting ridiculous goals at all costs!
I’ve learned that I can live out of my drivenness (to achieve goals, get a certain size church, etc) or I can live in my calling (to lead this church and take it where God is leading). While I still want our church to grow as there are hundreds of thousands in our city who need Jesus, the pressure has been removed (mostly!) and I’m walking in freedom.
Sorry to labor the point but this has been an enormous breakthrough for me!!!! I now feel like I can do what I was called to do… disciple people. I realised I was sacrificing people in order to get to the goal. Now I’m becoming a more loving, discipling pastor. And I’m liking it.
Thanks for being so real Craig. You guys rock.
Rant finished
Tom….PEOPLE MATTER TO GOD…and how could we ever put a limit or number that would define success on reaching them….God wants quality AND quanity…I think maybe it is the comparing success with numbers and size that is the monkey wrench in our thinking
Numerical growth IS an indicator of “success” BUT numerical growth is not the ONLY indicator of success. If it was then the JW’s, Mormons and all the “get rich quick ministries” would be VERY successful! Our goal as the church is to MAKE DISCIPLES, that is committed followers of Christ. That is our end product and that defines success! Of course, measuring who are TRUE committed followers of Christ is not easy … so we leave that part to God
Our part to is engage in the process.
I can’t possibly thank you enough for the conciseness of your blog, the simplicity and truth of its message. I think that, in America, there is the culture of the fast food, instant results, don’t make me sit around and wait for real long-term results. You’ve struck ministry gold!
I’m not sure I know what more to say in this discussion Craig. This is something that’s had me baffled for a while now. Check this out…one day I was looking at our numbers and I realized the attendance was basically the same the first weekend in January of 2005 as it was the first weekend in January of 2007. Yet we had 30 or more people joining the church each month. Which tells me that we had as many people walking out the door as we had coming in. What does that mean? I don’t know. Is our main goal to grow the church or to grow the people in the church? I find it real interesting that Jesus commanded US to make disciples, but He said HE would build the church. Maybe our success in ministry is determined by our ability to do our job and let Him do His.
Some of these points others are making are excellent. Thanks guys, I’m learning a lot.
I think God gives us a church size we can handle according to our current level of faithfulness, understanding and capacity. I’m saying this and I have a small church but I’m learning to enjoy where we’re at right now.
For some reasons I think there’s a ‘God-lid’ on some churches because what He’s doing inside it is more important in that season than seeing the multitudes get saved and enter into a church that isn’t ready. That Jesus will build his church seems to me to be a sure reality. We are blessed when we see it in His timing. My timing would have seen things accelerate very prematurely.
Little Flocks in the Wilderness
http://www.spurgeon.org“It is a great advantage to a minister to commence his public life in a small village, where he can have time a quiet for study and reading: that man is wise who avails himself of that opportunity.”
-C. H. Spurgeon
All-Around Ministry
In the harvest field now ripened
There’s a work for all to do;
Hark! the voice of God is calling
To the harvest calling you.
Little is much when God is in it!
Labor not for wealth or fame.
There’s a crown—and you can win it,
If you go in Jesus’ Name.
Does the place you’re called to labor
Seem too small and little known?
It is great if God is in it,
And He’ll not forget His own.
When the conflict here is ended
And our race on earth is run,
He will say, if we are faithful,
“Welcome home, My child—well done!”
When I was seventeen years old I drove north every week to minister to a little flock in the wilderness for year before I left to study at Moody Bible Institute. When I was twenty-one God entrusted Lois and me with another little flock in the wilderness. This time it was the good people of Beaver Chapel in Mercer County, Ohio. It was there our oldest son, Kyle was born.
One winter morning it snowed so deep that it took me over an hour to shovel a path over to my study. I started a little heater, brewed some coffee and spend sweet hours with the Lord reading E. M. Bounds on prayer and then kneeling by a worn little chair on the hardwood floor of my study and talking to the Lord.
David’s older brother mocked him and taunted him to go back to his “little flock in the wilderness,” but it was there tending “a few sheep in the wilderness” that God was forging in him the character needed to lead a nation. It was there that young David was learning to be a man after God’s own heart.
Not everyone follows the same path into ministry but tending little flock in the wilderness was a good way for us to begin.
By this argument then we should not consider him to be credible based on the size of his ministry? So, then what is the litmus test to validate him as being a success? Or more important how can we know that he is practicing what he is preaching and seeing success from said practice?
[...] Part 1–The size of your ministry does not determine the level of your success. [...]
[...] Lifechurch.tv is doing a series on successful ministry that i would like to highlight here. You can see the orginal post here. [...]
[...] Groeschel posted multiple practical posts on success in ministry, go here, here, here and [...]
Another lie we can come under is this…
“The size of your church reflects your relationship with God”.
Some of the most Godly and faithful men I know lead small churches. I’m about to plant a church in Charlotte NC and I’m keeping this close to me. Of course I’m not going to use this an excuse not to grow as I unashamedly want a church that sees many people saved, but its an important thing to remember that leaders of big churches are not neccesarily more spiritual than leaders of small churches (and no less!).
Thanks for all you do Craig.