2. Remember the gospel so you won’t be puffed up by success.
Because we are sinners, we are prone to taking more credit than we deserve. For the pastor, especially, the temptation grows to embrace the wrong kind of pride when things begin to go well in a church. It’s fine to “be proud of” our churches. Paul often tells the churches they are “his boast.” But he says this to encourage them and celebrate their growth, not to take credit for it!
When we implement a program and it takes off, isn’t it tempting to believe we can program success? And when we receive great feedback on our sermons, isn’t it tempting to believe spiritual impact comes from our well-turned phrases more than God’s inspired Word? Maybe this isn’t so for you, but it is for me. Success can be dangerous, especially for leaders.
When we remember our identity in Christ, we recall it is he who has made us, and not we ourselves (Psalm 100:3). When we remember the gospel, it is impossible to get puffed up by success because the gospel is so humbling. It puts us in our place, while at the same time giving us great confidence. This is especially necessary when it’s not success we are experiencing, but failure.
3. Remember the gospel so you won’t be devastated by failure.
I have pastored a church that tripled in attendance in a few short years and launched well-received program after program. And I’ve pastored a church that held people like a sieve, with new decline around every corner. I’m here to tell you neither was easier than the other. Both were equally tempting of the pride inside my heart.
The great thing about centering on the gospel of Jesus Christ for pastoral ministry is it helps guard against pride amid success, and it helps guard against despair amid failure.
In lean times, we can become despondent about our ministries and get wrapped up in sulking and self-pity. Or we can turn angry and defensive. The gospel is so calibrating. When we focus on who we are in Christ, his glory washes away our ministry idols with tsunami-like force.
Focusing on Christ’s glory changes us (2 Corinthians 3:18), even when there is no noticeable gain in ministry life. Think of Isaiah in the temple, for instance (Isaiah 6), or any of the other prophets. Think of how single-minded they were in God’s work and his character in the midst of exile and captivity, when times were low.
Knowing we belong to God, knowing we are united to Christ, knowing we are justified—not on the basis of our ministry success, but on the basis of Christ’s—is hugely satisfying and supernaturally encouraging.
Pastor, you need the gospel’s clearing of the air, especially when the dust cloud of ministry rubble surrounds you. And one important way the gospel clears the air is by helping us correctly define success.
