Just this past week I heard from a young preacher who is planning to step down from his position at a small congregation because he feels that he has not been successful in that role. Why? Numbers! The congregation averages 30–35 in attendance and, while this young man believes the church has grown spiritually over the past several years, because it has not grown numerically he is a failure. It is without question that we live in a consequential and results oriented society. Don’t win enough games, fired! Don’t produce enough sales, fired! Don’t baptize enough people, fired!
If numbers, be it wins, sales, or people in the pews, is the standard Jesus’ ministry was a colossal failure. In John 6:66 we read that, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” The apostle Paul, who is often heralded as the greatest missionary of all times, would have been criticized as a failure by many today. He never stayed anywhere too long (“We won’t support a man who isn’t going to be gone for at least four weeks.”); he admitted to not baptizing a lot of people (1 Corinthians 1:16); and he was often times to hard on himself (1 Corinthians 2:1; 1 Timothy 1:15).
It is true that we all too often place too much pressure on the preacher, the elders, and even ourselves to succeed according to current accepted conventions. What is the true measure of success? Winning more games than everyone else? If each year every coach who didn’t win a national championship or Super Bowl were fired only one coach would keep his job! If only the top salesman each month was retained each month the turnover rate would ruin any business in short order!
For you and I as Christians we need to understand that failure in life is not predicated upon how perfect we are (Romans 3:10), how many good deeds we do (Ephesians 2:8–9), or how many people we baptize. Success is determined by one factor, and only one factor: whether or not we go to heaven! Here is how Christ said it, “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). And success or failure is entirely up to us at this point. If one is lost in eternity he will not be able to blame God!
God did His part by sending His Son to die for every man (John 3:16; 2 Peter 3:9; Titus 2:11– 12). Jesus fulfilled all righteousness and did His part by dying on the cross (John 19:30). The Holy Spirit did His part in bringing to fruition the inspired Word of God (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:13; Ephesians 3:1–12). And the Godhead continues to active today in adding the saved to the church (Acts 2:47; Colossians 1:13), answering the prayers of the righteous (John 9:31; James 5:16; 1 Peter 3:12), seals us (2 Timothy 2:19; Romans 8:35–39), intercedes and mediates for us (Hebrews 7:25; 1 Timothy 2:5), continues to cleans us (1 John 1:6–7), and on and on we could go.
But what is our faith in God and His great salvation if we do not respond in obedience and faithfulness? James says, “faith without works is dead” (James 2). Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Salvation does not require great wealth, a terminal degree, or great renown. All anyone needs to do is be obedient to the gospel and live faithful lives of godly service. When Judgment comes and we then hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21, 23), then we will be successful and nothing else will matter. Will you obey Him today? How can we serve you?