Comments on: What Drives Success?

By: JerryH

JerryH — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 16:11:21 +0000

Christian successfulness, in my mind, is one of those areas I haven’t yet come to a conclusion about. First of all, I always thought the parable of the talents, which is couched in the teaching of end times, deals not with the accumulation of wealth but with being always faithful in anticipation of the Lord’s return. Second, the New Testament everywhere points to being Christ-like In its teaching Christ-likeness is seen in giving up everything (Phil. 3:10). So I wrestle with the question of what is Christian “success” looks like, for the individual and Christian ministry. Is it building bigger and fancier churches, individually becoming the CEO and wealthier than my neighbors? Or does it mean having a church where faithfulness is more important than size, even if that means the church dies out? Does it mean individually living faithfully even if I only barely have just enough to be comfortable and no one ever knows my name?

By: Marcia

Marcia — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 17:25:10 +0000

Having spent my high school years in an honors program with many Jewish students, I can easily identify what makes them successful: a culture of achievement. I suspect the same would hold for the other ethnic groups studied.
While it is true that success cannot be measured in dollars and cents, I find the recent attitude developing that higher education is at best unnecessary, and perhaps even pernicious, questionable. My first-generation immigrant bricklayer father saw to it that there was a education savings account for each of his children, and wanted to see it used.
Reminds me of something Rev. Maurice Roberts quoted from the pulpit awhile ago: “clogs to clogs in four generations.”

By: Gordon Matheson

Gordon Matheson — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 14:26:20 +0000

I agree. The question of Christlike-ness is paramount. I’m not at all critical of your post, just sounding a note of caution about using the language of success at all. One thread of this we’re struggling with in Scotland is how to treat faithful, but seemingly unsuccessful ministries. Outcomes seem to be the key criteria we judge by, but I think we need the balance of your final two questions to get this right.

Anyway, thanks. Helpful to highlight these things.

By: David Murray

David Murray — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:46:04 +0000

Hi Gordon. I think we’re actually in agreement, especially about not being driven by success and all the terrible consequences of that. I try towards the end of the post to turn towards better (or wider) criteria for measuring our lives than the world’s usual standards of success. Maybe we could say that the five questions I pose are a way of measuring faithfulness? And we must also leave open the possibility that for wealthy Christians their use and multiplication of money may indeed the way God will measure their faithfulness.

By: Gordon Matheson

Gordon Matheson — Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:25:49 +0000

Hi David. Maybe I’m not so common in this, but I fear we’re (the Church generally) in danger of forgetting what God wants in us. He doesn’t call for success, but faithfulness. If we become driven by success, what’s to stop us becoming like the prosperity pedlars of mainstream Christian TV?