Justifying Failure?
The U.S. Church is in a mess (see The American Church in Crises) It continues to decline as the population increases. We are facing the perfect storm if something doesn’t change. And as is the case in all enterprises, that change must be initiated from the top, by the pastor. If pastors don’t change the way they go about life and ministry, the Church will continue to decline in the U.S.
That’s why when a book comes along like the Hughes’ Liberating Your Ministry from Success Syndrome I want to puke. The last thing we need is to allow ourselves anyway off the hook for the mess we’re allowed to happen on our watch. I don’t know the Hughes. I’m sure they are wonderful people, but reading their material, I have to wonder if they ever pastured a growing church.
I’m as skeptical about a person who says numbers aren’t important to faithfulness as I am about someone who says numbers are everything to faithfulness. But I will not allow faithfulness to be relegated to some sweet life of loving, believing, prayer, and holiness. Listen to the way the book is described at Christianbook.com
“Offering biblical perspectives and personal reflections, longtime pastor Hughes and his wife show you that true accomplishment in ministry lies not in numbers but in faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christlike attitude. You’ll learn to confront your feelings of failure differently—and discover a godly understanding of success. “The last the average pastor today needs is to find a way to comfort their feelings of failure. Man what a travesty.
Pastors, please don’t rush out and buy this book just to rationalize your feelings. Instead get on your knees and break your heart over the plight of your city and resolve to make it a better place. Decide now to spend 80% of your time working either with non-believers or with leaders in your church who will spend time with their non-believing friends.
Bill Easum
www.easumbandy.com
August 4th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
There is an overall anxiety in the country about the demise of the local church. Apparently Hughes suggests we should just set the bar lower to a level we can reach.
I have often felt we are at the Jordan River trying to decide if we should cross or not. In a country that is so rich it cries out over gasoline prices, not starvation, then I’m not sure even Moses could turn things around.
Is it inevitable that the church in America become like the church in Europe? Is there enough of a nucleus of serious people to spark a spiritual Awakening?
August 5th, 2008 at 9:13 am
“Is it inevitable that the church in America become like the church in Europe? Is there enough of a nucleus of serious people to spark a spiritual Awakening?”
This may sound backward, but I’m thrilled at the combination of a complacent church and a wealthy, aggressively capitalist society. Mind you, I’m not thrilled about either of these on their own, just what happens with combination. It makes it impossible for the U.S. church to become the imperialistic church of Europe’s middle ages.
The result that keeps exciting me is what appears a natural (if prolonged) death of institutional churches, alongside the explosively growing small churches meeting in theaters, bars, schools or anywhere else they can manage. America won’t tolerate an authoritarian church, but might flock to a spiritual ground swelling.