The Measure of Success
Scripture: Joshua 4
What is success? When does it happen? When can we say we have been successful? Two weeks ago, we talked about momentum and how momentum is developed by creating a God-focused movement. And if we create among us, a God-focused movement, how do we know when we’ve been successful?
Measuring success is hard. It’s especially hard to measure success from God’s standards. It’s not so difficult to measure success in our own eyes. Is success, for example, being able to make the transition that’s ahead of us, and keep everybody happy, and not have any fights. Is that success? Is success being able to burn the mortgage in five years? Have we achieved success if we’re all comfortable? Or maybe we’ve actually arrived at success when people are UNcomfortable and everyone is wanting to move OUT of their comfort zones to achieve more - maybe that’s success.
Churches aren’t exempt from trying to evaluate their success. Wesleyan Pastors serving Wesleyan churches have to send in statistics every month. To a certain degree, I’m sure, it’s those statistics that determine from a denominational point of view, whether a church, and therefore its pastor, is successful or not. Some churches evaluate their success on the caliber of worship team they have, or the entertainment value of the pastor’s sermons. Some would say success is based on the size of the youth group. Some base it on the percent of their mission giving.
No matter how we define “success” it will fall somewhere on a continuum between superficial and spiritualized.
At the superficial end of the scale, success is measured purely on external indicators. Things like attendance, giving, programs, the social status of the members. All these things figure into whether the church is successful or not, so the mood of the people, the attitude of the congregation rises and falls on these external measures.
And you are likely already thinking about the problems associated with that kind of measure of success. There are PLENTY of problems with it. For one, the variables keep changing. People come and go, giving is up and down, young people grow up. Programs become obsolete.
But the most serious problem in this measure of success is that it’s measured by novelty rather than ministry. Church budgets can expand based on a few wealthy givers - but that can result in the compromise of biblical standards. One of those givers gets mad or a decision is made that goes against what they think should happen and they take their ball and bat and go home.
I followed one pastor into a church that had just built an elaborate addition to their facility with the philosophy that “if you build it they will come.” And do you know what happened? They were so busy trying to pay for the addition they had no money for ministry. “Build it and they will come” is a Hollywood mentality that sugar coats the reality of what Jesus said in Luke 14:28, “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower, won’t he first sit down and estimate the cost.”
We can build it, and they MIGHT come . . . for a while . . . until the novelty wears off. If we don’t have something a lot more substantial than a fancy building or a big addition, we’d better go back to the drawing board - better yet, go back to GOD and see what HE thinks, not what Hollywood is spitting out to us.
We don’t ever want to become one of those churches that is a mile wide and an inch deep. Superficial - Success based on the externals.
But the other end of the spectrum is just as dangerous and we need to be careful to not go there either. That’s were success is spiritualized. People on this end of the spectrum, they dig their heels in and resist any kind of external assessment of church health, or success. And really, it’s harder to criticize this end of the spectrum because they all “sound so spiritual.”
This end of the spectrum say things like:
* God has just called us to be faithful
* If it reaches just one soul, it’s all been worth it.
* We may be small, but we’re holy!
* God likes quality over quantity.
You know what both ends of this spectrum smell like to me? Pride. Either end of this spectrum is full of pride.
So what’s the answer. If we look back at Joshua, chapter 1, we see there in verses 7 & 8, - in two verses, twice God gives Joshua instructions so that he will be successful. Verse 8 says, “then you will be prosperous and successful.”
And now, in chapter 4, the first of the successes ahead for Joshua has been accomplished and God commands Joshua to build a monument to that success. Isn’t that interesting? God tells Joshua to build a monument to their success. A symbol of the success the people of Israel had just experienced. Symbols are important. We used symbols a lot. We’re especially learning about symbols in our Wednesday night Bible Study. We, today, have sacred symbols of God’s faithfulness in our lives - communion, baptism - then there are other symbols, not sacred - not sacraments, nevertheless very important symbols in the life of a believer - the cross - it’s a reminder of what Christ did for us; - the altar of prayer - we don’t have one here. Pot lucks - they’re a symbol. They’re an important symbol - of loving fellowship. Pot lucks are important.
God told Joshua to pile up stones as a memorial - a symbol - forever to the nation of Israel.
That symbol is a true measure of what GOD considers success. And God doesn’t change. Success to God is the same back then, as it is today. It may LOOK different on the outside, but the measure is the same.
Six things that will help us determine if this is a movement of God. You can apply these principles to your own personal life, and to the life of the church.
First.
1. Transitions in obedience to God.
Anything that we complete that has been God’s will for decades.
When the Israelites crossed the Jordan river, they were leaving behind wandering in the desert, and they were looking forward to conquering new territory for God. The people who physically crossed the Jordan that day, were not the people who began the journey.
Way back in Genesis, God called Abram to leave Haran, and in fact, when Abram’s dad left Ur he was headed to Canaan, but he settled in Haran the rest of his life. Look at Genesis 12:9, it says, “Then Abram continued traveling south IN STAGES toward the Negev.
I don’t think God ever gives anybody everything all at once. Look again at Joshua 4, verse 3, “Carry them (the stones) out and pile them up at the place where you will camp tonight.”
Crossing the Jordan was the first major step of obedience for the children of Israel since they had left Egypt, scouted out the land and decided GOD wasn’t big enough for them to conquer it, so God left them in the wilderness till that generation all died off, except for two. There are all kinds of lessons in there but that’s other sermons. The point here is that this is one success, one stage in the history of God working out his purposes in the nation of Israel, and it’s a successful step of obedience that GOD had in the works for a very long time.
Transitions can be difficult - that’s why making it through them is cause for celebration. And this is a celebration of their obedience to God.
Second, this symbol, this pile of stones used as a memorial, is a measure of the:
2. Involvement of God’s People.
The twelve stones represented the participation of the twelve tribes of Israel in crossing the Jordan River. Two and a half of those tribes would go back and live on the other side of the Jordan river, but they ALL participated in the crossing. Everyone’s abilities and involvement was needed.
I’ve made this point before in another message, but this transition is about ALL of us. Now you can stand on the sidelines if you want to. You can just kind of sit back and say, “Well, let’s just see what happens.” But if you do that, you just might - I’m just saying maybe - you just might get left behind. We’ll love ya’ just the same, but this is a movement of GOD!! It’s not me, it’s not the Board, it’s not even YOU. This is GOD’s doing and if you decide to WAIT it out, you’re going to MISS out!! I’m just sayin’.
And of course, the greatest danger of people sitting on the sidelines as spectators, is that it’s most natural for the “watchers”, not the “doers” to become critical and feel like they don’t belong.
And THAT, we all know drains the momentum out of EVEN a movement of God.
Thirdly, any movement of God, any measure of success from God’s perspective, is going to involve:
3. Credibility of the Leaders
I just want to pause here and say how thankful I am for the team that I get to work with in serving this church. Do you know GOD hand-picked each one of your Board members?
Do you want to know something else? We disagree sometimes. Sometimes we even disagree quite strongly. But we love each other. We speak respectfully, even when we are disagreeing.
We have six people on the Board, and we have six very different personalities. But we have one goal - to do the will of God in the life of Faith Bible Church. Folks, you can’t get better than that. I’m so thankful for our Board.
Joshua lived in Moses shadow for many years. He was Moses’ assistant. At the beginning of this movement of God, God gave Joshua instructions, and Joshua obeyed - he followed God’s instructions. Don’t you think when the Jordan river started rolling back and more and more people got to the other side, Joshua’s credibility went through the roof?! I do. Why? Because Joshua was willing to RISK his credibility to obey God.
Leaders must be willing to humbly invest their credibility in obedience to God in order to serve people well.
Joshua’s goal wasn’t to be like Moses.
Joshua’s goal was to be a faithful leader and let God take care of the rest.
Do you know one of the best parts of being your pastor? It’s a little thing really, but it’s big when it happens. One of the best parts of what I do, happens when I’m sitting in the Gator, while my wonderful hubby goes in and gets us coffee, and someone from the town, who doesn’t go to this church, takes the time to come over to the Gator, arms open for a hug, and says, “I hear congratulations are in order.” Big Smile - big hug - . . . BIG WITNESS!!
This transition is one huge opportunity to witness in our community. Let’s honor God in ALL things. Let’s not get going 100 miles an hour and forget about our witness to the people around us. Amen?
I’m glad Ron and Mary decided on June 1st for our closing date. It gives us time to wait. It gives us time to own this responsibility for ourselves. And it gives us time to witness to GOD’s blessings for us.
Jackie mentioned last week that I glow. Since we’re talking about leadership (and my next 3 points are brief), let me just take some time here to tell you why I glow. It’s because I’m pregnant!! Now let me explain that a little bit.
See, God never gave me the opportunity to feel little feet kick inside my womb. God had different plans for me. There is a pregnancy that is FAR beyond physical bearing of a child - and I don’t want to minimize that in ANY way - please don’t hear me wrong.
But many years ago, when I was agonizing over my empty womb, God gave me these verses - I took comfort in them then, but I understand them better today than I ever have in my life. It’s Isaiah 54: (READ 1-5).
I’m pregnant!! And the glow of what is happening inside of me is because of the faithfulness of my God to the promise he made to me many, many years ago, and the faith of his children - YOU. Your faithfulness - YOUR longing to live as children of God - makes the Spirit move inside of me until I’m bursting at the seams!! I feel the Spirit kicking inside of me and I get excited. I felt Him move!
Well, # 4
The measurement of success from God’s standard is:
4. Leaving a Spiritual Legacy to Those who Follow
God takes physical successes and turns them into spiritual legacies for our children, and our children’s children. This is true of anything in life that we accomplish for Christ. Any addiction you quit, is that way. You quit drinking, smoking, doing drugs, get control of your anger, lust, jealousy, envy, foul mouth - any of those physical successes that you, with God’s help, accomplish in your life, God uses as a spiritual legacy for your children.
A couple of weeks ago, Steve put 35 cents in the Celebration Church for 35 years of sobriety. What kind of influence do you think his sobriety has made on his children, and his children’s children? You don’t have to think very hard to figure that one out. He’s leaving a spiritual legacy for his children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren, and for the ones who come after that who will barely even know his name.
Now let me ask this. What kind of influence do you think we will leave for generations to come, by stepping out in faith and accomplishing what God has provided for us by having a dedicated place of worship? I believe the possibilities are endless.
The most important thing we can leave for our children - THESE children who worship with us Sunday after Sunday, is not a few more dollars in their inheritance, but a legacy of generosity. A legacy that says financial blessings come from God and GOD should be honored with them. When you give to the work of this church, you take a physical blessing (the financial resources God has given you) and you turn it into a spiritual legacy - a testimony of generosity - for generations to come. We just have to decide if we are going to leave an inheritance, or a legacy.
#5
God’s measure of success will ALWAYS, ALWAYS include
5. A testimony to those yet to know God
What we do in this town, whether individually, or as a church fellowship together, is a testimony to the whole world of the benefits of submitting to God and being in relationship with him.
I heard just recently of a lady who simply let another lady go ahead of her when they were moving from one aisle to another in the grocery store. The lady who was given the right of way, came down the next aisle, found the lady who had just offered that little kindness and told her, “You just made my day.” Those are Christian witnesses. What does Philippians say? Let each esteem the other better than himself.” Anytime we put others ahead of ourselves, we are bearing a Christian witness and making an impact. Listen: We’re sowing a seed, that may be the very seed that God will use to bring that person to Christ.
So go ahead - make someone’s day! (I wrote it in there - I figured I might as well say it!!)
Finally. The stones that were piled up as a memorial, were there as a:
6. Reminder of the Power of God
Verse 24 of Joshua 4 says, “He did this so that all the nations fo the earth might know that the Lord’s hand is powerful, and so you might fear the Lord your God forever.”
If the only conclusion to the Israelites crossing over the Jordan, was that Joshua was a great leader, or the people had accomplished a great thing, the victory would have been short-lived and would not be a lasting success.
False success says, “Look what we have done.”
True success points to the powerful hand of the Lord and says, “Look what God has done.”
Any movement of God must result in the words of the Psalmist and the gospel writer of Mark:
“This is the Lord’s doing and it is wonderful in our eyes.”
How do we measure success? Through God’s eyes.
1. We obey God
2. We involve everyone
3. We maintain credible leaders
4. We leave a legacy not an inheritance
5. We witness to those who need to know God
6. We remember that this is GOD’s doing, not ours.
Let’s pray.
