Defining a "Successful" Church

I was talking with a guy this week about his church.  I hate to admit it, but even as a pastor, I tend to fall into this trap of defining success in the church much as the world defines it and comparing myself to other pastors. 

I couldn't help myself from asking, "So how many people do you have?"  The same question I've been asked many times.  It's a value mark for pastors and for churches.  If your church has more members than another's church, then that means you're more successful, more spiritual, more worthy, than them.  Why else do we ask that question?

Or, if you're like me, the pastor of a microchurch (the hot name for a small church today) who finds out the person you're talking to has more people in his church than you, you can go all spiritual on them.  "Oh, yes, I used to believe a larger church meant more success, but today I have realized that it is important to focus on relationships, and I just cannot have the type of relationship I want with X number of people in my congregation," where X is an imaginary number that is larger than your current congregation size.  For instance, if you have a church of 60 people, then X is 100.  If you have a church of 200 people, then X is 1,000.  Or, if you have a church of 25 people, then X is 50.  You get the idea.

Anyway, I asked this guy about his church -- how many people do you have following you?  "Oh," he says, "I've got a lot that follow me, but there's only twelve that are there every time we gather for worship or teaching."  Twelve.  Could be a new church plant.  Could be a guy focusing on relationship like other microchurch pastors.  Still, I average a little better than that if you count Sunday morning worship along with Bible study, so check one for me.  Still, better find out...  "Been at it long?"  "About three years," he says.  Three years, and you only have 12 people?  Wow.

Time for the next question.  What about your building?  Where do you meet?  You see, that is the other major defining point for success in the religious world today.  Everyone knows you need a building.  And the old adage from the Kevin Costner film, "Field of Dreams," holds true -- "If you build it, they will come."  Build a new church, hang a sign out front, and watch the people come.  It happens.  But then there are those who can't afford a building, so they rent space in a strip mall.  Used to be out of the norm, but now it's acceptable.  Becoming common as the cost of maintenance goes up.  And then you have a few outliers -- those strange meeting places:  doggy day cares, motels, etc.  Makes you wonder...

So, where do you meet, I ask.  Do you have a building or do you rent or what?  "No," he says.  "I just stop where the Father tells me and I preach there.  Usually it's outside, somewhere in nature.  We just find a good spot, I take a seat, and I start to teach."  "That's nice," I say.  "That's weird," I think.  So I try to help.  "You know, if you had a building -- a permanent place -- then maybe more people would come."  "Yes," he says.  "But would they be the right people?"

Interesting.  This guy may be a bit quirky.  Not sure if he's really cut out for the ministry or not.  Probably just another person who was not happy with organized religion.  "So what's your services like?  How many people are you baptizing?"  He replies, "I spend more time just getting to know people and seeing where they are.  They come to me with their sicknesses and I heal them."  [RED FLAG!!!]  "I just tell them about God and try to show them how they should live for Him every day."

Okay, now I see what I've got.  Some guy who has decided to break out of the "church" thing and just promote his own idea of ministry.  He doesn't have a building.   He's only got a handful of people in his church.  He's doing all these healing services and isn't worried about doctrine or teaching the right things.  He acts like he's got these secret powers to heal and a direct line to God.  He's doing this feel-good ministry and "getting close to people."  He thinks church is just about helping people and healing them and showing them how to relate to God.

It's people like this who make a bad name for the rest of us who have been to seminary or Bible school and who know what's right and what should and should not be taught.  He's never going to be accepted by the religious community.  He's always going to be on the fringe.  This guy is certainly not going to be considered successful by modern standards.  Keep an eye out for him and let others know if you see him.  His name is Jesus.