December 7

Day 268: Success and Faithfulness

Funny (at least to me) how certain memories will come flooding back, after maybe years of silence. Usually, this happens when I'm busy doing something mundane. Or have too much free space in my mind.

Years ago, in a land far, far away, I was the Executive Pastor of a large church. (I capitalize the letters of my title to indicate I had lots of responsibility, but not enough authority to go with it.) The lead pastor, and another associate pastor decided we needed to add a Sunday night worship service. (Note: we already four services per weekend.)

The scheduling of such forced me to move our vibrant college/career ministry to (of all things) Monday evenings. I was not happy, nor was anyone between the ages of 18 and 30. It just about killed that ministry. I'm not bitter. Mostly not.

The lead pastor thought adding another service would help us seem relevant, and bigger. The associate wanted a platform so he could perform. I just wanted it end before it started.

But start it did. Big crowds showed up on Sunday nights. For maybe 4 weeks. And then it started to dwindle. Commensurate with that decline, the interest of the lead pastor and associate pastor dwindled as well. Finally, losing enthusiasm (and losing face, it seemed) they asked ME to to conduct the final service, and then put that beast to bed. While they ran and hid in their own witness protection program.

And so I did. Gladly. What did anyone learn on those Sunday nights? Likely not much. But what did I learn?

The word "Success" appears just seven times in the Bible. The word "Faithful" or "Faithfulness" appears hundreds of times. Our ill-fated Sunday evening service was built on a desire for success. When success didn't appear, even on the horizon, the ones seeking success bailed, leaving the scene of the crime.

Faithfulness, on the other hand, means keeping one's heart fixed and one's hand at the plow. Faithfulness means consistency and continuity irrespective of man's measure of success.

Christians are called to be faithful. Pastors and elders of churches, large or small are called to be faithful. Church-planters and movement leaders are called to be faithful. I don't read anywhere that anyone is called, or guaranteed to be successful.

That's a hard pill to swallow. Our culture tells us we can be successful; that with hard work we can be anything and accomplish anything we set our minds to. Even denominations and church planting organizations trumpet the successes of the successful.

Meanwhile, Jesus grew His followers from hundreds if not thousands to just twelve. The missionary to China, Hudson Taylor, wasn't sure if anyone gave their life to Jesus during his many years of faithful service.

Faithfulness, especially with the lack of observable success, is perhaps the most difficult aspect of leadership, no, of discipleship, that anyone can face.

1 Corinthians 4:2 says, "Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." It's the word "Stewards" that should draw our attention and emphasis. Stewards don't own what they manage. The do what they do for the benefit of their boss, their patron, their Master.

It remains for the boss/patron/Master to determine what constitutes success. Success is not guaranteed. Faithfulness is demanded and required. Success may only come years, even decades after the faithful service of the unsuccessful steward ends.

I am forced to remind myself of this truth, especially on Monday mornings. While I also endeavor to erase bad memories of those who could not differentiate between success and faithfulness.

-Mike Rydman, Lead Pastor, Radiant Church Juneau