Becoming a Good Servant of Christ (1 Timothy 4:6-11)

What makes a successful church? What makes a successful servant of God? These are perhaps the most important questions we must ask in any church. The problem reveals itself in the fact that there are so many answers to these questions in the Christian world today. Most measure the success of a church by the number of attenders. A large church equals a successful church. A small church means that something is wrong. This view means that everything should be done to get people in the seats. Another view believes that the success of a church or servant of God is measured by the number of ministries that church has or that leader oversees. If the church or servant of God is busy and accomplishing a lot of things, then they are successful. Others measure success by things like popularity and exposure, influence, finances, or facilities. 

All of these have two major things in common. First, every one of these is easily measurable and seen. You can count attendance, ministries, and finances. You can look at schedules and facilities. Second, every one of these is driven by the American consumer culture. They are the same measurements which businesses would use to measure their success.

Yet is this the way that God determines the success or failure of a church? Are these the measurements by which God determines a good servant of Christ? One day, when we stand before Christ, what will be the measurement used to determine whether He will say to us, “well done”?

The Ephesian church faced the same problem that we do today. They had lost sight of the true measure of success. As Timothy worked with the church to bring it back to health, Paul reminded him of God’s measurement of success. Through this text, we learn what makes a good servant of Christ and a successful church.