Success in the Church

I've been challenged lately about what does success look like in the a local church? Is it when the church parking lot is full?

All in all, I've never really thought through this issue with this specific question. It is a good question for just about anything. I think the answer is enlightening and perhaps a game changer.

I love what Dwight Smith, author of "Invading Secular Space" says. Here's a short intro video:


According to Smith, an inadequate definition of success is "more people, more money, happy people." Hmmmm. Instead the definition of success in the church should be the extent to which each person in the congregation is living out their faith in the context that God has put them - that is they are invading secular space. Double hmmm.