Stephen Crosby compares western cultural virtues with Jesus' virtues

Stephen Crosby

Success is an American/Western cultural virtue.
Fruitfulness is a kingdom of Jesus virtue.

They are not inherently the same.

American cultural virtues of success are: "bigger is better" - more people, more money, more fame, more notoriety, more TV exposure, more books sold, etc. Jesus's virtue of success is: faithfulness to assignment is better . . . period.

Everywhere I turn, in teaching, media, and blogs, an antichrist theology of success has replaced a theology of the cross. Seminars, conferences, schools, materials abound: "How to overcome obstacles hindering "your ministry" from becoming a 'success!' 'Removing limitations to your ministry!' 'Going to the next level in your ministry!'" and so on.

The only thing rarer in the church today than a theology of the cross is a theology of suffering.

I have reached the age where I shouldn't be surprised by anything anymore. But, how something the scripture says nothing about, becomes a major emphasis in doctrine and teaching, is a truly staggering statement of the condition of things. It says more about our real spiritual state than all our claims to "cutting edge insights" and truth.

God's method of kingdom advance has never changed. We don't need seminars on overcoming obstacles. It is not that complicated.

"Except a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it abides alone. If it dies, it brings forth much fruit."

Jesus's kingdom advances based on the principle of death and resurrection, not "how to make your ministry a success" seminars. PERIOD. His kingdom advance and your personal greatness are NOT related. His increase could result in your decrease. If you are not yet willing to be insignificant, you are not yet trustworthy for "ministry." Your "destiny" might be to give away all your life's energy and virtue, and never see a drop of fruit until after you are dead and gone. It was that way for our Master, and we are not above Him. What may work on Madison Avenue and the board rooms of American industry, is not fit for the kingdom.

The scripture speaks of fruitfulness and faithfulness, not success. Success is culturally and circumstantially determined. Faithfulness and fruitfulness are spiritual realities. Being faithful and fruitful to what God has created and called us to do, may or may not, result in "success" defined in temporal terms: numeric size, money, fame, and influence, etc.

I was once in dialogue with a so-called apostle [sic], on some issues of doctrine and practice. He admitted that what I was saying was true, right, accurate, and biblically sound. However, when confronted with the truth, here is how he responded to me (I quote literally):

"When you have a successful ministry of significant size, I will listen to what you have to say and change what I am doing."

This man was a so-called "apostle" of an international network of churches and ministers, influencing thousands-staggering spiritual darkness by someone proclaiming to have not only spiritual sight, but in his own eyes, "superior, cutting edge insight into what God is doing today!" (Please excuse the gag reflex). Jesus had very severe things to say about people like that.

I know another leader of a very large megachurch in the heartland of America. A small "move of God" occurred in his congregation after a weekend of ministry, that brought the reality of the kingdom to the congregation. Lives and marriages were transformed through levels of authentic transparency and reality. His exact response was (again, literally):

"If I allow the reality that happened this weekend to spread in my church, it will cost me everything I have built, I am not going to allow that. My people have a certain expectation of their pastor and his wife, and I intend to meet those expectations. Thank you for a great weekend, and I will never have you back again to minister in my church."

Size? Money? Number of people in attendance? Anathema on all of it.

There is nothing remotely "successful" about dying alone on a cross, abandoned by all but a few of your friends. I am firmly convinced Jesus would not be welcome to speak at our conferences. The fruit of His life, labors and ministry were not seen until AFTER his mortal days. His ministry was not "successful" enough to be the keynote speaker at the annual "Realize Your Destiny" conference!

There is nothing remotely resembling "success" about rotting in prison, abandoned by friends, and rejected by the churches you helped to plant and disciple. Paul would not be invited to speak at our "Seven Keys to Ministry Success" conference.

The success of sonship is wholly independent of any demand for determined outcome. It is satan, our adversary, the spirit of antichrist, that demands action, that demands to see something, to prove one's status and ministry.

There is nothing easier than building a "successful church" or ministry. I guarantee this will work for you:

1. Have a warm, smooth, and engaging personality and a gift for motivational public speaking.

2. Preach a nominal, man-centered, gospel whose core message is: "If you just obey well enough, God guarantees you blessing, health, wealth, and prosperity and he wants to make you great in whatever you do."

3. Identify your market demographic and give the people what they want: nurseries for their children, youth group for their youth, latte bars for their habits, paved parking lots for their cars . . .

4. Ask little and provide alot: work the 20% faithful like dogs to meet the needs of the 80% freeloaders.

5. Threaten people with God's curse if they don't tithe, and with one hundred fold riches if they do. Fear and greed are great motivators . . . from hell.

6. Provide a "hot worship experience" [insert gag reflex] that feeds into psychic co-dependent narcissism, with a great praise band and state of the art technology.

These will build you a successful and dynamic ministry. But Jesus won't be involved in any of it . . .

Many shall say in that day, Lord, Lord, did we not . . . .