Do you have a miserable ministry?
In Patrick Lencioni's book 'The Three Signs of a Miserable Job' he states that the inability to measure results is one of the three key causes of job dissatisfaction. If an employee is not able to see clear and measurable results then they will not enjoy their work.
The problem for ministers is that most of the important results of our ministry are immeasurable. Sure, we can count 'bums on seats' or numbers of 'first time' commitments. We can count the money in the plate or, in my case, the revenue from camp and conference bookings. We can even use the social sciences to measure underlying emotional satisfaction or perhaps even strategic alignment.
However, what matters in our ministry is the degree to which our activity has glorified God. If we could create a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to quantify the degree of divine glorification we had achieved over a set period of time, then we could really know how well we're doing in our work.
The means by which God is glorified is the preaching of the gospel. As we are reminded in 2 Corinthians 4:15, as this grace of God reaches more and more people, it causes "thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." God is glorified as his message of grace is broadcast. The more the grace-news grows, the more God is glorified.
Our hunger for clear and measurable results in ministry is further tempered by the reminder two chapters earlier in 2 Corinthians 2:15-16. Our job is to distribute the aroma of Christ wherever and whenever we can. To some, this will be a foul odour. For others it will be the "fragrance of life."
Indeed, it may be that God has chosen to use you to harden people's hearts, not to soften them to receive the gospel with joy. This was true of the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 6:9-10), when his evangelism had the purpose of solidifying Israel's rebellion against God. Interestingly, this passage is quoted by Jesus to describe his own ministry (Mark 4:12 and parallels), and even by the apostle Paul as he evangelised under Roman guard (Acts 28:24-27).
This is not to say that we should not do everything possible so that we might win people to Christ. Many people will receive the gospel with joy, as they taste and see that the Lord is good. However, many will also reject this same message.
Don't let your ministry become miserable by becoming enslaved to the measurements of elaborate KPIs such as attendance and revenue. Be sure to rejoice when people declare that Jesus is Lord. However, don't be down on yourself when your mini-church doesn't quickly grow to a mega-church.
