What Constitutes Success for the Church?

The whole question of what constitutes success for the church both corporately and individually needs to be constantly reexamined. How can the relative success of the church's ministry be evaluated apart from the light of eternity as revealed in God's Word? Who is to determine what is success? Was the cross of Christ a success? The world certainly did not think so. At the Judgment Seat of Christ, many supposedly Christian efforts will be evident as awful failures. Many do not understand that the only reason why there will be perfect doctrinal and organizational unity in heaven is because all error will be burned away by Christ (1 Cor. 3:13-15). Likewise, the reason why the early church experienced such beautiful unity was due to the fact that doctrinal and moral heretics either dropped dead (Acts 5:1-11) or were excommunicated (1 Cor. 5:5). The day of reckoning for the true church is always drawing near (1 Pet. 4:17-18), and then it will be evident that a believer will not be crowned ‚ "unless he competes according to the rules" (2 Tim. 2:5). Those who run in Christ's race (as Christians) must run according to Christ's rules, if they expect to receive a prize. Here the question is not speed or noise, but humble obedience. "Run in such a way that you may win" (1 Cor. 9:24).