What is Success? Part 3 The Organization

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Part 1 and Part 2

Defining success for an entire organization is paramount! Imagine everyone in your organization working toward a common goal.

"but wait... Shouldn't that be happening already?"

Yes it should, but is it?


Many organizations take for granted that everyone is working for the same goals. This will lead to frustration as everyone brings a different set of values and priority.

Have you ever looked across your organization and noticed others not placing the same value and care on what you thought were primary to success? Our reaction is usually anger and judgement that we must care more about success than they. Perhaps the level of care is not the issue...

...Maybe we need to define success as an organization.

The organization and it's core values need to come first; before our own personal goals. As we define, we whittle away inconsistent priorities across our work force. The result is a streamlined vision for success.

In today's culture of "keeping up with the joneses," streamlining your view of success is critical! There are businesses down every road offering different services and products. It would be foolish and frustrating to define success by what we see others doing.

Churches make the mistake of duplicating other churches often.  For some reason we look at the church down the road and see that they have a FILL IN THE BLANK ministry. We think... "Why don't we have a FILL IN THE BLANK ministry? They are successful and we aren't.... But if we could start our FILL IN THE BLANK ministry and make it as good as their's, or better, then we would be successful.

INSANITY...

Success as an organization starts with NOT trying to do everything. 

Instead of running in every direction, define a FEW THINGS that are both DOABLE and ESSENTIAL.  If you do these... abra cadabra *poof magic smoke* SUCCESS.

Redemption church, where I serve, strives for 3 things every time we meet. They are VERY general, essential, and doable.  If these 3 things happen... abra cadabra "poof white dove appears* SUCCESS.

Here they are...

1. People Worship
2. People Receive the Word of God
3. People talk to God

It's almost painfully general I know... But it needs to be.  Everything Redemption does in ministry should embrace and progress one of these 3 things. If we are doing something that doesn't progress any of these 3 things, it is counterproductive and we should eliminate it. 

When someone comes up and says we need to do FILL IN THE BLANK... we stop and consider if the ministry will help us with the 3 things!  (This has kept us focused and level headed.)

It has also kept me from falling off into depression.. Sometimes I feel funky in ministry. "Man that service could have been better, the music transition wasn't perfect, that mega church down the street..."  Although I want excellence, it is not what defines the success of the organization. 

Having these 3 simple definitions for success has helped us BUILD CHURCH CULTURE!  Every service and we greet the people and tell them "We do 3 things at Redemption Church. We Worship, Receive the Word, and Talk to God."  We have invited every member to embrace this definition and live it out. AND THEY DO! 

How does your Organization define success?
How has it helped? 

Related articles

• What is success? Part 1 (360wlo.com)
• What success? Part 2 (360wlo.com)