I am reading through a book, Rock-Solid Children’s Ministry by Larry Fowler. In the book he asked a question… he asked when you, as a children’s leader leave the room and your spouse asks you, “How did it go?” and you respond, “It was the best day in ministry ever!”, what makes you respond with that answer?
Can I be honest?
I don’t think I have ever responded with that answer?
I believe my most positive answer to this question, is I think it went really well, and that is usually said with a hint of uncertainty. Most days I walk away feeling as though I have just epically failed, at the very most I walk away feeling as though maybe God might have used me to help something in His Word make sense to them.
For me, in children’s ministry or in any ministry that God has allowed me to serve in, I can’t measure whether that ministry is a success or not in the moment… for me successful ministry has nothing to do with whether or not the kids pay attention that day, whether or not I have a room full of visitors, whether or not I actually am able to complete a sentence or read an entire passage of Scripture without calling out someone’s name to turn around, sit down, close your mouth, keep your hands to yourself, etc, whether or not all my teachers and workers show up…
For me a successful ministry could only be measured years down the road…
Will these children who sit before me now still be seeking the face of God thirty years from now?
Will these children who sit before me now teach their children to love the Lord their God with all their heart, mind, soul, and strength?
Will these children who sit before me walk in a manner worthy of their calling through Jr High, High School, College?
Will they seek to their lives according to the Word and not according to the world?
Will they love and serve the church, the body of Christ?
I leave every Sunday, every Monday, every Wednesday, every opportunity in between… with a heart both heavy and hopeful… and asking in a nonchalant you really don’t have to answer me, but I am asking anyway kind of way… Did I do okay today, God? Did they hear? Did you open their hearts today? Did the seed take? Was it watered? Will it bear fruit?
I teach them and pour what I know into them and I look in their eyes and I see souls that I know can right now make a HUGE impact for the kingdom of Christ as servants for the Most High God. I teach them and pour what I know into them and I look in their eyes and see future men and women of God who might have to give their lives and freedom for the sake of the gospel one day… or prepare their children to.
The fact is I can’t measure whether my ministry is a success. I have come to realize I never will be able to do that. Human measurements cannot measure heavenly treasures… and I know not what lies above. I can only lay what I have, the opportunities I have been given, at the foot of the altar of my Lord’s throne… my offering to HIM… my service to HIM… my life as a living sacrifice laid out on the altar of grace as my spiritual service of worship.
So how did it go?
I don’t know… and when I get to the place when I will know, I don’t think I will even ask because I will finally be before my Lord face to face and really, I just want to run into His arms and be wrapped up in HIM and held tight and hear, “well done… my good and faithful servant… well done.”