Take Another Look at the Church (Part 2)

How do you measure the success of a church? 

• The size of it's campus? 
• It's annual revenue? 
• The size of it's membership? 
• Is it how many services they have on the weekend? 
• Is it the number of cell/home groups they have? 
• Is it the number of ministries they offer?
• Is it in the amount it gives to missions?
• How many paid staff they have?
• Whether or not they have produced their own worship CD?

Success is more than this.  Depending on who you ask, success can be defined in many ways.  I am of the opinion that the success of a church is not based upon numbers alone, whether it's in membership or the square footage of a building.  However, numbers can be forth telling of fruitfulness.  To me, it boils down to quality versus quantity. 

What kind of Christians are we producing?  We can have a full house every Sunday and Wednesday but that doesn't mean everyone in the house is healthy and embracing the MISSION of CHRIST to become SALT and LIGHT in their communities.

If I want to know what kind of Christian you are, I merely have to ask your next door neighbor.  If your next door neighbor can attest to your conversion and testify of the fruit of the Spirit in your life (Galatians 5:22-23) then we could more than likely say, you are the real deal.

Allow me to make a personal observation.  Pastors and church leaders often view their churches and ministries differently than the people who serve along side them.  The old mindset of measuring success by buildings, budgets and bodies tends to overshadow the truth of what's really happening.  All you have to do is become a fly on the wall at the latest ministers gathering and you'll hear some "whoppers" of inflated success.

I don't want to sound brash or cruel towards ministers...I am one...but I do think we need to transparently come to grips with misconceptions, we've adapted to, on how to measure success.  Perhaps we need to redefine how we measure success.  Rather than focusing on numbers, strategies or how "trendy" we are...we should be looking at how many Kingdom-minded disciples of Jesus we are producing that are being led by the Spirit.

The true test of our Christianity comes in play when our neighbors can identify with our mission and message.  When our faith is known and respected amongst our friends and family...then the ground work is laid for the mission of Christ to be embraced and taken seriously.

How can we expect the world to take the mission of Christ seriously, if in the church, we have dysfunctional ministers and members?

• I'm not interested in hearing about the latest conference and concert you attended if you can't even be faithful to your local church on a weekly basis.
• I could care less how many personal prophecies you've had spoken over you...because until you line up with the Word of God...none of them are coming to pass.
• I'm not impressed by your spiritual gifts if you lack the fruit of the Spirit in your life.
• Don't try to impress me with your revelation on some deep spiritual subject when you act like looney tunes and embarrass your friends and family with your unbridled behavior.

I've often said, "before you walk on water, you'll have to first walk on land."  If you can't be faithful in the smallest disciplines like attendance, attitude, tithing, etc., WHO ON EARTH IS GOING TO RECEIVE FROM YOU...MUCH LESS FOLLOW YOU?

God is more concerned with our
CHARACTER than our CHARISMA.

Jesus desires His church to take on His nature and characteristics.  My heart yearns for this.  I desperately want to see our church ablaze with God's purposes in every aspect of our living.  His mission must be paramount to our agenda.

I want our church to be known for - it's love, the way it prays and how it shares Jesus!  I'm not interested in being known for our preaching style, musical preference, buildings or strategies.  I want the Holy Ghost to have full reign in our LIVES!  If He can have full reign, I believe we'll become MISSIONAL KINGDOM-MINDED DISCIPLES of Jesus in this last day!