Ministerial Success

There is much here that is very helpful on the FIEC website on an (apparently) Fruitless Ministry:

https://fiec.org.uk/resources/a-fruitless-ministry

I agree with that.

But my problem, if I may say so, has never been mainly an inability to give a theological account of the causes and cures of ministerial success or the true success that is to be sought and how it is to be evaluated.

So often we know these things. We have even counselled others with them. But how do we cause them to affect how we feel and live? How do they touch our souls?

The messages we must believe and recall are pretty simple. They would include:

God is sovereign 

Faithfulness IS success

The fruit is sometimes hidden and long term and in any case is NOT YOUR BUSINESS but God's

Abide in the vine

You are my Son whom I love. With you I am well pleased. 

Well done my good and faithful servant. 

Many will say to me, did we not preach sermons in your name and I will say to them away from you, I never knew you. 

We must dwell on these things prayerfully and thoughtfully in the presence of Jesus. Let us pray for his grace not only to know them but to feel and live them set free from chasing feeling good about ourselves or our ministry from preaching to full rooms, or getting affirming feedback, or book deals or positive statistics or....

But that still doesn't make it easy. We are so addicted to a middle class suburban or University church model of ministry that if you are not St X or All Souls, Y, or Holy Trinity, Z it feels like church life is not really flourishing and going places as you might dream. Unless we can afford three youth and childrens' employees, a men's worker, a woman's worker, a church counselling service and social outreach, we are not really the full package.

We must learn to dream of the Kingdom of God, not of our ideal church and ministry.

May God have mercy on us and show us his kindness although we be foolish slow learners!

Although weakness is hard for us, thankfully, God loves it! His way is death and resurrection. Cross then crown. Suffering then glory.

If a ministry is dying, you know a resurrection is coming! Perhaps not there in that form, but nothing is ever lost in God's kingdom. No Word is wasted. No seed falls to the ground and is unfruitful - but some kind of death is always needed. Otherwise, there is just show: a fleeting blossom of colour, no fruit.

If a ministry is really all glory and glitz, you know Jesus has fled already and a death is coming.