How do we measure success?

I found this really thought provoking article over at http://dianehigginbotham.blogspot.com.

The following is something I came across and thought it was really interesting. We do tend to focus on numbers in our churches today. Do we really think God is more concerned with how many people we have sitting in pews, or is He more concerned about the hearts and souls of those people? Is He more concerned about how many showed up to an event, or how many lives were actually changed because He was a part of that event? I think it's time we focus on God and not on how many bodies we can get to show up for entertainment. I realize bringing people in is a way of getting the gospel to them, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with a huge crowd, but that should not be our focus. I'm praying that God will help me see the needs of others and help me grow to minister to others. I want to be a part of God's work in bringing glory to Him and seeing lives changed! Can't think of anything more exciting than that!

WHAT A WEARISOME YARDSTICK-
J. Grant Swank, Jr., of Windham, Maine, once wrote an article
for "Christian Clippings" which he entitled, "Frankly, I Don't
Care How Many Are In Your Sunday School."

He began the article by remembering minister friends who
seemed to love to tell how many they had in Sunday School
the day before, as if that was the only criterion to be used in
measuring the effectiveness of a church. He wrote, "Finally,
when the dust of planet Earth will have settled and souls will
have departed, who will care how many we had in Sunday School
and how many bucks were deposited in the plate?"
Swank went on to list what he called "the yardsticks of the
church":

-How many were in Sunday School?
-How many showed up for worship?
-How much money came in?
-How many buses do you have running?
-How many are on your staff?
-What programs do you have for my kids?

Then he wrote: "But what a wearisome yardstick. There is
definitely a self-centeredness about it. And it smacks too much
of the business syndrome of success. Further, I do not have an
easy feeling about it in that it does not seem to have biblical
support. Instead, it appears to be more "wood, hay and stubble,"
than "gold, silver and precious stones."
He continued: "One of these days I just know it has to happen --
someone is going to approach me with these questions:

-How much unity is there in your church?
-Is there real love there?
-Do your people have an excitement about the Bible?
-Do your parishioners know how to pray?
-How solid are the Christian families in your congregation?
-How much time do the fathers of your church spend with their
children?
-Does your church allow much time for people to be away from
the church building in order to build their homes?
-Are new people coming to know Christ personally?
-Have the households of your congregation given up the notion
that the church program should baby-sit their offspring?

"Well, if that miracle does not take place soon, I just may plant
a zinger the next time one of my colleagues starts in with,
'How many did you have in Sunday school yesterday?' That
is, playing deaf to the question, I may ask, 'How strong are
the marriages in your congregation?'"
"Interestingly enough -- and logically enough - that could also
go for our annual reports to the congregation, the district and
general levels of the denomination. Instead of reporting the
number of heads and dollars for one year, what if each pastor
gave an honest accounting of the oneness, caring and strength
of his/her congregation. It would not be as easy to feed into
the computer, but it just might have more value in the sight
of God." -The Timothy Report

What are your thoughts about the way we measure success in church? Is this better criterion? Thanks to Diane for posting this! It was very challenging for article. Pastor Phillip