"Character is that which can do what it must without concern for success." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

 

At the risk of sounding like an egomaniac (sadly, I am a recovering one, with plenty of regular opportunities to either 'get drunk' or 'stay sober'), I recently got a couple of phone calls from a couple of churches looking for preachers who honored me by asking me to join them in prayer concerning whether or not I should "put my name in the hat" with them concerning a move. (No, I'm not going anywhere...I've learned that I'm a hard guy to move in that regard).

 

While this is a fairly common phenomenon, some of the calls make me wonder what it is these churches think they want out of a preacher...

 

Do they want someone who will help their church grow numerically? 

Do they want someone who will keep their attention on Sunday's during the speeching time?

Do they want someone who will help cause evangelism to happen?

Do they want someone who will challenge them to grow in Christ?

 

On growing numerically  - I have a preaching peer who, while philosophically agreeing that what we do as Christ-followers "is about the transformation of people," he takes a knee to the idea that since numbers are the only objective data with which we can measure success, it is what we must use to measure it.

 

I agree that numbers are objective, but that the numbers of people showing up at your Sunday morning worship gatherings is an objective measurement of success concerning the transformation of people I totally disagree with.

 

Look, if transformation is subjective, then we must simply come up with subjective ways of measuring subjective things...and deal with it. But to use something objective that cannot measure the success you are after, simply because it is objective, is futile and a glorious waste of energy. Since I've come to the Southwest church in Amarillo to be their preacher, we have grown from an average attendance on Sunday mornings of 850 to 750 in attendance on Sunday mornings. That's the objective truth, but what does it measure? I don't believe that this indicates failure in transforming people any more than attendance growing up to 950 would indicate success in doing so.

 

The numbers that I need to see and hear are stories of transformation.

 

- Are the (spiritually) poor full of hope about good news?

- Have prisoners (of the heart) been experiencing and talking about their freedom? 

- Do the blind smile as they enjoy newly-found (in)sight? 

- Are hugs and smiles and comforts and servants and lovers and intimacy and peace-fullness and healing and righteousness increasing in the oppressed (which is all of us)?

 

If these things are happening, then we are on the mission of Christ "successfully". And honestly, folks, all you have to do is go to your own heart and see if it is happening there, and if it is, then you are living the life regardless of who is your preacher and how many people go to your church. And if it is not, then you have a much larger issue...one that a new preacher may or may not be able to help you with...directly proportional with his capacity to usher you into a genuine focus, fixation, and relationship with Jesus Christ as your minister, pastor, preacher, savior and friend.   

 

On keeping people's attention with a speech - This is a new insight for me, one that is still forming, thanks to a timely reflective phone call from my buddy Tquan Moore (who has a new cd about, by the way...go to www.tquanmoore.com and buy it). I've been torn, since becoming a preacher, between two different opportunities for growth. Two different methods of advancing the Kingdom, if you will.

 

Our church's vision is to "make disciples of Jesus through real relationships". So, as the preacher, do I fulfill this vision by investing in becoming a better speech maker to motivate people to do this? Or do I become better at and invest more in real relationships directly? I know, I know...do both, Brian! And I have (and am) trying, but it is just not that simple here on the ground.

 

I think speeching and preaching can really contribute powerfully to a person's growing up in Christ. I've seen it happen (through stories) in my ministry. But ultimately, I don't think someone gets preached to maturity. Nor programmed to it. Preaching and programs can help, but I think people get loved into Christ. Period. So for this preacher, I spend much more time loving people towards maturity in Christ through relationships than preparing my speeches on Sunday morning in a way that might improve how well, how long, and how many different kinds of people I can keep attentive. I'm not saying that this is the ideal perspective for a preacher...I'm wondering just the opposite. But I'm not saying that it isn't either. Humility demands that I remain a constant experiment as I labor for Christ.

 

On the last two - I was going to write on each of the above 4 questions, but I have a line of people waiting for me to call. People who need Christ (evangelism) and are volunteering to be challenged towards Christ.

 

I love talking about what I get to do and be in my life, but how much time should I spend talking about making disciples and actually making them? As it is, I end this piece sitting right in the middle of that dilemma...do I finish this post about making disciples? Or do I go and be with a few of the people who are becoming disciples of Christ with me relationally?

 

My choice for today...send this email half done, for what it is worth, and go be with and love these people, for what it is worth.

 

Praise God, in Jesus Christ, that this is such a grace thing. He who has untold worth takes my humble, half-done offerings and advances the Kingdom in unbelievable ways in my heart. I could never plan, control, or orchestrate this stuff if I tried.

 

So I will just follow, as I must...with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength....without concern for success.

 

May God bless us all.