How Do You Measure Success in Ministry?

Those that are leading a soup kitchen ministry might measure success by making sure no one walks away hungry.  Those leading a children’s ministry might measure success by making sure that the children are being taught the truth of God’s Word and how it applies to their lives.  Those that are leading a music ministry might measure success by making sure that people have an opportunity to worship in spirit and in truth. 

Are those important goals?  Absolutely!  Is that the measure of success?  I would say no.  I believe that a ministry is successful when biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers have been raised up and go and do likewise! 

Chris Musgrove says it this way, “Success is not measured by what you’re leaving to, but by what you are leaving behind.” 

John Maxwell says it this way, “When all is said and done,your ability as a leader will not be judged by what you achieved personally or even by what your team accomplished during your tenure.  You will be judged by how well your people and your organization did after you were gone.  Your lasting value will be measured by succession.

Uniontown Bible Church says it this way, “Our vision is to grow a family of biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers who shepherd others along the PATH through evangelism, Sunday mornings, groups/teams, and the home. 

Biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers that raise up biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers that raise up biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers!  Now, that’s a successful ministry!!

Matthew 28:19-20 “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”

 

 

 

 

What are You Shooting For?

We need to keep our target before us at all times.  Where are we headed?  How do we intend to get there?  Will we recognize success when we see it?  What does a job well done look like?  If we don’t attempt to answer these questions our ministry might be doing some good things but might not be all that God intended it to be, and we might not be doing what God has called us to do.

Ministry teams need to look specifically at what God is calling them to do.  But I also think there are some generalities that we can apply to all successful ministries. 

Successful ministries:

• Follow Jesus
• Glorify God
• Shepherd their sheep

I’m currently reading a book entitled Transforming Leadership, by Leighton Ford.  This is an excerpt from the chapter “The Leader as Shepherd-Maker.”

“The name Peter Drucker is legendary among executives throughout the world.  When he is announced as the speaker at a seminar, it guarantees top attendance and interest.  Born in Central Europe, he has lived and traveled throughout the world and has been a journalist, a businessman, a government official, a consultant, a lecturer and an author.  His books, such as Managing in Turbulent Times, are benchmarks in their field. . . .  One night I sat opposite Drucker at dinner.  Toward the end of our time together I asked, “Peter, you have had an amazingly diverse career.  Has there been a common thread that has run through everything you have done?”  “Of course,” he came back immediately. “At the heart of everything I have done has been the thought of enabling others, getting the roadblocks out of the way, out of their thinking and their systems, to enable them to become all that they can be.” 

That theme of enabling lies at the core of all genuine leadership.  “Leadership is not so much the exercise of power itself as the empowerment of others,” is Warren Benniss’ way of saying the same thing.  And at its very heart the leadership of Jesus was an empowering, transforming leadership. . . . [Jesus] saw his task not only as saving and leading the sheep, but also as developing under-shepherds.  One might say that he wanted to transform sheep into shepherds!

When I read that I immediately thought of our church’s vision statement:  to grow a family of biblically sound, Christlike disciplemakers who shepherd others along the PATH through evangelism, Sunday mornings, groups/teams and the home.”

Are you aiming at:

• Following Jesus?
• Glorifying God?
• And shepherding your sheep?

Are you keeping your team on target?

Joining God

 

“You cannot continue life as usual or stay where you are, and go with God at the same time.  That is true throughout Scripture.

• Noah could not continue life as usual and build an ark at the same time. (Gen. 6)
• Abram could not stay in Ur or Haran and father a nation in Canaan. (Gen. 12: 1-8)
• Moses could not stay on the back side of the desert herding sheep and stand before Pharaoh at the same time. (Exod. 3)
• David had to leave his sheep to become king (1 Sam. 1:1-13)
• Amos had to leave the sycamore trees in order to preach in Israel. (Amos 7:14-15)
• Jonah had to leave his home and overcome a major prejudice in order to preach in Nineveh. (Jon. 1:1-2; 3:1-2; 4:1-11)
• Peter, Andrew, James, and John had to leave their fishing businesses in order to follow Jesus. (Matt. 4:18-22)
• Matthew had to leave his tax collector’s booth to follow Jesus (Matt. 9:9)
• Saul (later Paul) had to completely change directions in his life in order to be used of God to preach the gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 9:1-19).

Everything has to be yielded to God and the entire life adjusted to Him.” 

Experiencing God, by Henry Blackaby, pg. 234-235

 

Where might God be asking you to go?

Fill in the Blanks

These are Paul’s words, at the beginning of his letter to the Romans:

“Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God–the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead:  Jesus Christ our Lord.  Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” Romans 1:1-5 (Emphasis added)

What jumps out at me immediately, as I start to read this letter, is this is a man that knew why he was here.  He knew he was:

• a servant of Christ Jesus
• called to be an apostle; and
• set apart for the gospel of God

How about you?  If I were to ask you to fill in the blanks what would you put?

• a servant of ________________
• called to be ________________
• set apart for _______________

As believers we are all called to serve God in some way.  This answers the “what” question–”what am I supposed to do?”  Paul also answers the “how” and “why” questions.  How am I able to serve?  “Through him”–through the power of the Holy Spirit.  And “why” should I serve?  “For his name’s sake.”  All that we do is to bring glory to God.  I encourage you to fill in those blanks.  Know why you are here and then be about doing it.  If you want some help exploring where you should serve we’d love to talk to you!  Give the church office a call (410-857-9644).

How Should We Serve?

Colossians 3:23-24

“Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward.  It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”  NIV

“Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance.  It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”  NASB

“Do your best.  Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you’ll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance.  Keep in mind always that the utlimate Master you’re serving is Christ.” The Message

Are You Involved in Ministry?

“If you’re not involved in any service or ministry, what excuse have you been using?  Abraham was old, Jacob was insecure, Leah was unattractive, Joseph was abused, Moses stuttered, Gideon was poor, Samson was codependent, Rahab was immoral, David had an affair and all kinds of family problems, Elijah was suicidal, Jeremiah was depressed, Jonah was reluctant, Naomi was a widow, John the Baptist was eccentric to say the least, Peter was impulsive and hot-tempered, Martha worried a lot, the Samaritan woman had several failed marriages, Zacchaeus was unpopular, Thomas had doubts, Paul had poor health, and Timothy was timid.  That is quite a variety of misfits, but God used each of them in His service.  He will use you too, if you stop making excuses.” 

Rick Warren, The Purpose Driven Life

Finding Your Place

I am only one,

But I am one.

I cannot do everything,

But I can do something.

And what I can do

I will do.

And what I will do

By the grace of God I shall do.

Edward Everett Hale

Remember, God has not called you to do everything, but He has called you to do something! If you would like to explore what that might be give Denise a call (410-857-9644).

Why Do We Serve?

What a joy it is to be able to serve the Lord! God doesn’t need us to do ministry because He is an all-powerful, self-sufficient God capable of doing anything that He wants to do. He allows us to do ministry. He gives us the awesome privilege of being used by Him.

Jesus didn’t just tell us what ministry was all about, He showed us. He set the example. Ministry is about serving with a humble and grateful heart. Ministry is about giving God the glory He is due. And ministry is about blessings. We don’t serve so we can be blessed–but we are blessed when we serve.

Do you have a desire to serve but don’t know where to start. Contact Denise at denise@utown.org or 410-857-9644 and she will be glad to explore what might be a good fit for you and ministry.