In Ministry, "Great" Is Not Always Good
In the culture of today's church, successful leadership is often judged by what produces the biggest results and fastest growth, while persistent faithfulness takes a backseat. In his compelling new book, Tim Suttle presents the counterintuitive idea that in order to remain faithful to God, churches and church leaders may need to shrink—their egos, fame, and "footprints"—rather than pursue constant growth.
When it comes to ministry, "great" is not always good. If church leaders focus on faithfulness to God and the gospel, however, it's always a kingdom-win—regardless of the visible results. Following the example of John the Baptist, today's church needs a kind of leadership that willingly gives itself up to the greater plans of God. As John's disciples crossed the Jordan River to follow after Jesus, John freely released them to a calling greater than following him.
Looking carefully at the teaching of Scripture, Tim Suttle dares church leaders to risk failure by chasing the vision God has given them—no matter how small it might seem—instead of pursuing the broad of pragmatism leading to fame and numerical success.
