How would you define success in ministry to city kids… actually, any children and youth? Does your adopted measurement impact your strategic plan? Does it help sustain and scale your organization beyond the current ministry year? Actively matching your organization’s purpose with how you show up and what you do on a weekly and annual basis is critical for success and defining success.

Forgiveness, redemption, and resolution are key components towards success which provides real hope and power while ministering in the city. John E, Blake

I’ve learned that real success begins within your own heart, acknowledging its brokenness and dependence on the Lord for Godly forgiveness, redemption, and resolutions in our own lives. Only then can we proclaim and live these truths, putting them into action, among the people we minister to. Stay with me, I want to share how I’ve learned to define success in ministry and specifically with city kids and their communities. I believe there are at least 3 Godly aspects when bringing resolutions to the complexities of ministry to the poor, marginalized, and distance from God.

Forgiveness and redemption

First, let me provide a list of personal and direct ministry benefits from forgiveness and redemption. At the end, wait for it, I’ll provide my list of what success looks like, in the natural, when ministering in the city and with city kids. Please offer your comments after reading as well, thanks!

Redemption from sin gives hope, salvation, and empowers us:

  1. For the hopeless conditions of children we see and teach
  2. For our negative attitudes towards the difficulty of city ministry
  3. As workers, we need to be reminded of the Lord’s work in our lives
  4. To confess our negative attitudes and repent
  5. To ask the Lord to do whatever He chooses to develop a heart within us for the city and city kids
  6. To carry the same message of redemption to city kids and allow God to affect the change that no person, program, or government plan can do

Resolution brings the game plan for solution with mutuality and respect:

In developing a heart for the city you and your ministry organization must have a firm resolve.  This is a passionate resolve, which prays and labors until a biblical and systemic plan is birthed and confirmed. It’s a mutual plan to accurately address and solve spiritual and social issues impacting the culture and lives of the people whom you minister alongside. This strategic plan is framed around three words:

Values – describes who we are and what we really believe. Core values are consistent, passionate, biblical, and distinctive convictions that determine our priorities, influence our decisions, drive our ministry and are demonstrated by our behavior.  Our real core values are exposed in the way we minister, to whom we minister, and also where we minister.  James 1:26-2:1

Vision – describes where we are going. It’s like shooting arrows beyond yourself – Psalm 127 – “having a higher expectation than where you are… It’s projecting a vision for success and a heart for God… if you can dunk the ball at 9 foot, then raise the rim.” There are many applications in life, but the idea is to clarify and cast vision of where your organization is going.

Resources – describes what we will use and how we will use it to reach, achieve, and/or resolve the task of fulfilling the vision, which has been cast.

In part 3 the verse Psalm 11:3 was mentioned regarding …when the foundations are being destroyed… there is a biblical answer to repair and resolution to this social darkness.

  • Speak Truth with real applications for living
  • Pray (de-hijack prayer) for transformation not problems
  • Activate the Gospel (de-colonize and clarify)
  • Church active and community-centered
  • Communities and schools pastored:
    • Nurture, love, reconcile for them to flourish
    • Biblical principles are active and evident
    • Spiritual and natural atmospheres change
    • Systemic poverty and issues eliminated
    • Keys of the Kingdom are leveraged for change

Next Part 6 will articulate deeper and offer examples of Godly values, vision, and resources like: Networking, Staying and Serving, Risk-taking and others.