How do you measure success in ministry?

That question has been echoing in my mind since a panel discussion at The Nova Experience a few weeks ago. One of my fellow panelists quoted Dallas Willard. “What if we stopped counting the number of people who attend and weighed them instead?” If only there was a discipleship scale!

Please don’t get me wrong: there is nothing wrong with counting. Every number represents an eternal soul of inestimable value. And faithfulness and fruitfulness are directly proportional. But I’m concerned that all too often we reduce success in ministry to attendance numbers and budget numbers. I’m not sure those are the only measures or best measures.

For the record, the only number goal we’ve ever set is missions giving.

Too often we fall into the comparison trap in ministry. And that only leads down one of two paths: pride or jealousy. And both of those paths will destroy you!

One of my fall-back verses has always been I Corinthians 3:6. Paul was dealing with some comparisons that were being made. And he came to this conclusion: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God gave the increase.”

Just thinking out loud.