More Than Just Attendance: Defining Success

Church leaders often look to business leaders to help with organizational leadership. Here, church success measures attendance, finances, and buildings. But what if we view the church as a movement and measure success by our collective action to make a difference in God's redemptive mission? Movements are successful if they mobilize people toward constructive action.

Consider the contrast between the Blake Lives Matter and Occupy Wall Street movements. For example, the Black Lives Matter movement shows how a group of people with a defined mission can mobilize people over time and achieve change.

On the other hand, Occupy Wall Street did not have a clear purpose; it struggled to mobilize people and quickly disappeared. Success is dependent on how people identify and own the mission. The church's success is not just about what happens within its walls but also about how it mobilizes its congregation to live differently and spread the good news of Jesus in their daily lives.

Are we focused on internal metrics or external impact?

From: Revive: Leading Change: Igniting Movement Chapter 1