The Apostle Paul didn't have a cell phone or the Internet, yet he took the Gospel into the long-reaching corners of the Roman Empire. Here are the reasons for his S-U-C-C-E-S-S --
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* S -- Sense of direction
* U -- Understanding
* C -- Commitment
* C - Compassion
* E -- Enthusiastic faith
* S -- Service to others
* S -- Staying power
S - Sense of Direction
If you don't know where you're headed, you'll probably end up somewhere else. Paul had a crystal clear purpose. In Romans 15:20, Paul writes, "It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known, so that I would not be building on someone else's foundation." (NIV) I've always loved this verse. Like Paul, I've always seen myself as a spiritual entrepreneur. Paul was a pioneer. He didn't want to lead an existing church. He wanted to start something new. But the point isn't what kind of ministry God had called him to; it's that he knew what that ministry was.
Most people don't succeed because they don't really know what they want. They do something for a few years, then switch and do something else, then switch again. Finally, they get to 40, 50, or 60 years old, and they've done 10 different things. They've never focused their lives on anything specific.
We should always be able to answer this question immediately: "What has God called you to do?"
When you figure out the "why" in life, God will show you the "how." When I started Saddleback Church, I didn't know how God was going to do it. But I knew why and I knew what. I had the message and the motive, and God came up with the method.
Ministry success starts by understanding what God wants you to do.
U - Understanding
In Philippians 4:12, Paul says, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation ...." (NIV) Contentment must be learned - and it's a tough lesson.
It might seem like a contradiction to say that you need to have a goal and you need to be content. But it's not. Contentment isn't the absence of a goal. It's being happy with where you are as you work toward your goal. If you think you won't be happy until you've reached your goal, you'll never be happy.
There's always a tension in ministry between the real and the ideal. You need to keep the ideal in your mind, but you must live with the real and not be frustrated by it. No matter how good things get in your church, it shouldn't ever be where you want it to be. We always must keep striving, keep moving, and keep progressing.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:5, Paul says, "May the Lord lead you into a greater understanding of God's love and the endurance that is given by Christ." (GNB) Endurance and understanding go together. When people quit before the job is finished, it shows a lack of understanding - or perspective. They don't have the big picture about their ministry and just get caught up in the details.
When you understand the problem, you can endure it far longer than when you don't understand it. Where do you get the kind of understanding that helps you last in ministry? You get it from God's Word (Psalm 119:105). Fill you mind with God's Word, and it'll make you wise.
