When And Why Leaders Should Rejoice

I’ve written quite a bit about my frustrations with how church leaders view their ministries and whether they are successful or not. Yesterday, while at the bookstore, I saw a book I never heard of before, written a few years back by John Piper entitled, Brothers, We are Not Professionals: A Plea To Pastors. Not having read the book, I’m not sure what it all entails, but I love the title.

I was thinking…you know, out of over 2,000 years of church history, it’s only in the past 60 years or so that churches have developed this mindset of “driven” ministry that seems to be commonplace all around us. It really is spiraling out of control, IMO. This idea that we must do everything “well” and do all we can to grow a successful church with a plethora of staff, ministries, resources and congregants simply isn’t the model of a healthy church given to us in past centuries. Instead, when we look back at history, we remember people of faith who were earnest to draw close to God and boldly follow His call, often losing it all in the process. It was those times when the church sought success, personal gain, or power that we are most embarrassed to look back on.

This morning as I was driving, I was reminded of a sermon I heard awhile back on Jesus’ words in Luke 10:20:

However, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.

The disciples, budding leaders as they were, had just returned from some “successful” ministry. Today, I think Jesus might say the same thing to us church leaders. I think He would caution us against this mindset of foolish frustration when things aren’t “happening,” and subsequent celebration when things turn around in our favor. We have become focused on the wrong things.

I think today Jesus would call foul and blow the whistle on “excessive celebration” centered on what’s happening in the Sunday arena. Just like immature football stars, we are glorifying our successful plays. I think He would be equally disappointed in other church leaders who are coveting their neighbor’s “success.” Success now determines whether church leaders feel like a pro or not. Brothers, we are not professionals. Let’s quit trying to become one.

If you are a church leader and are not seeing fruit/results/success, you have only enough room to lose joy as Jesus gives room to the boasting of successful leaders. Read Luke 10:20 again.

While we may or may not be able to “achieve” success in growing a church, it’s flat-out impossible to achieve salvation. That is a priceless gift from God freely given to us, and we should be cautious about rejoicing in things we have achieved or things that are circumstantial, changing over time. Heaven doesn’t rejoice over a new building or an expanded ministry or a successful program. It throws a party when another name is written in heaven.

As Paul states, we should boast only in our weaknesses. Rejoice in whose you are, not what you’ve done. Rejoice in the Lord always–no matter what! And again, I say, rejoice!