It's easy in life to compare. In life we compare the size of house we have, the car we drive or the success of our professional life. It's easy to do this in ministry too. There's publications celebrating the sizes of churches, or the percentage of growth in churches each year. All of these numbers are important because each number represents a person, but is that all that matters?
I was talking with my sister-in-law and I was reminded of the true measure of success. She grew up in small youth group of only a dozen or so and we were talking about what some of them are doing now. She happens to be on staff at Lakewood Church, loves God and has been serving Him for all of her life. Someone else from that youth group is in a very well-known Christian band. What was interesting is that of her small youth group each one of them are still living for Christ. That youth pastor could have said it's only a dozen students so I won't put as much into this, but instead he was a vital part of helping form Biblical foundations that would last a lifetime for those students. As a result some of those students have been given opportunities to be a great influence to thousands more than the youth pastor was. This reminded me of a few simple truths:
1) Treat a dozen as if it's a thousand and give everything all you have – ALWAYS. No matter what we at least have an audience of one.
2) Our goal should be to raise up others to do far more than we ever will.
3) Your impact doesn't limit your influence. You may have a small church, but the impact made in one life could result in that one impacting thousands around the world.
God calls some to lead large churches and he calls others to lead small churches. No matter what church size, He calls every leader to be a good steward of that which you've been entrusted with. So size doesn't matter, but what you do with what He's given you does.
