When We Fail

V

Vince Massi

Well-known member
Elect
Joined
Jun 15, 2013
Messages
1,829
Reaction score
40
Points
48
I recently posted about a woman in our church trying to illegally seize her baby during a church service. After a judge removed ALL her custody and visitation rights, she began posting pictures of herself with the baby on Facebook, where she explains the principles of successful love.

With almost three decades of failure behind them, a missionary couple will be returning to this area, where they have a combined 11 years of failure. No one wants them back, but they had a falling out where they were at, so they are returning.

Two years after failing as an intern here, a woman has begun posting on Facebook about how she has successfully risen above the failure that our pastor brought on her. We were only able to get a small amount of work out of her, and while the pastor and I are laughing about her posts, it has upset a couple of Godly  (and successful) women in our church.

I realized that some people don't know how to deal with failed Christians, especially when the failed Christians don't know how to deal with themselves. So I'll be posting some explanations that I hope will help our readers.
 
Yes do tell what you have learned from failure in your life
 
deertracks said:
Yes do tell what you have learned from failure in your life
Click to expand...

I learned from Romans 2:1 that scorners are describing themselves.
 
Will this post of yours have something to do with a shipwreck that Paul was in?
 
Walt said:
Will this post of yours have something to do with a shipwreck that Paul was in?
Click to expand...

No, Walt, it will be on why Christians fail in their Christian service. Scorn will be listed, but it is not the only reason.
 
Vince Massi said:
No, Walt, it will be on why Christians fail in their Christian service. Scorn will be listed, but it is not the only reason.
Click to expand...

You have failed in your Christian service to answer questions.

You're a fraud, Vince.
 
We fall down. We get up. 

Hopefully, we sorrow and pray for those who stay down.

Even better, if we can help them stand again, we can rejoice with them!  After all, that's what Christ has done for us.
 
Speaking of Vince 's many failures to give straight answers, is he ever going to tell us what Spurgeon's "major doctrinal problems" were?
 
Valid points, Jo. I should explain that I am emphasizing Christian service,  as well as our personal lives.

God gives us reasons why we fail, but He also gives us ways to succeed. A Christian who fails may or may not practice the reasons for failure, but he definitely did not practice the methods for success.

1) We didn't use the methods that bring success.

Several years ago, a large group did a study of churches that were started  "cold turkey." They divided these churches into those that succeeded and those that failed. Then both types had their methods divided into three groups: the methods that worked, the methods that failed, and methods that they did not use. Although there were always exceptions, it usually worked out the same way,

The failed churches correctly blamed their failure on unsuccessful methods. But they rejected the successful methods of the churches that succeeded! The failed churches had methods they believed were successful, but when successful churches tried those methods, they didn't work.

A person who fails in Christian service is not using  God's methods for success. And you won't learn those methods by listening to them.


 
The reasons that Christians fail in their  overlap. Those who fail did not use the methods of success that God gives us, but they really had wanted to succeed. So why DIDN'T they use successful methods? It gets complicated, but essentially:

2) They do not understand why they failed.

Failed start-up churches did list certain things that worked, and most of them did all three of these:
a) Start with a small core group, often meeting in a home, that is determined to start a church. This provides a meeting place, a financial base, and a congregation.
b) Get a functioning church government operating as soon as possible, getting your people involved in the success of the church.
c) When you attract successful leaders from other churches, once they join, assign them leadership positions for the benefit of the church.

Sound good?
 
IMO, your posts on this subject tend to lean towards legalism.

For example, if you are in Christian service, follow these x, y and z steps, and you should be successful.  If you are not successful, then you didn't follow the steps...am I right?  Capiche?

There is a really cool video of Denzel Washington speaking to a graduating class somewhere.  He says some important words, "YOU WILL FAIL."  He goes on to tell how many times he failed. 

It's an important lesson and unfortunately, how most of us learn.

To me, whether it is Christian service or just Christian living, we WILL fail at something.  We may even fail often.  If we don't get up and try again and again, THAT is our biggest mistake.

I must confess that I am a person who cringes when I hear someone called a "loser".  I don't believe God sees people that way.  I personally want to look for the good in a person so that I can help them reach their potential.  At the very least, I'm going to cheer for them.

BTW, one of my favorite failure stories is what I heard about Martha Stewart several years ago.  Her first Thanksgiving dinner was an absolute failure.  Her brother said they had to order pizza.  The woman was not a failure but the dinner was.

 
Jo, you are making some good points.

The word "legalism" does not appear anywhere in the Bible and is therefore not defined by Scripture. However, in the New Testament, they had a problem with people trying to use the OT Law for justification. In modern usage, it usually refers to the doctrine that man-made rules are both the cause and result of holiness.

But using Scripture to show God's people how to succeed is not legalism.

 
I am reminded of Proverbs 24:16-18
16 For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.
17 Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth, and let not thine heart be glad when he stumbleth:
18 Lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from him.

In my limited experience, I have found success comes from failing, getting back up, and continuing on the path to success.

Sometimes we need to be sure we are still on the correct path, and if we are, then we continue to push forward. On the other hand if we have gotten off course, then one must quickly make an adjustment and carry on.
 
sword said:
Sometimes we need to be sure we are still on the correct path, and if we are, then we continue to push forward. On the other hand if we have gotten off course, then one must quickly make an adjustment and carry on.
Click to expand...

That, Sword, is a major explanation of why Christians fail in their service. I'm jumping ahead to the next point, but you can even explain correctly to a Christian why he is failing, and he won't change. Instead, he continues to fail, and really does not know why.
 
We had listed three things that failed churches regarded as successful. However, most successful start-ups used none of them, and the few that did reported that they didn't work.

1) Start with a core group, and within 18 months, 80% will have left you. The NT method was to win converts and start a church from them. Most successful start-ups did a lot of advertising, held meetings, and those who were still with them a couple of months later became the core of the new church.

2) Get your people involved as quickly as possible, and you have a variety of people fighting for opposing goals. Successful start-ups usually held off membership, business meetings, etc., long enough to have a group that understood, believed, and supported the church's goals.

3) Leaders from other churches would want to join, bringing their tithes and offering with them. Make them leaders and you have a lot of infighting and failed goals among the leadership. Successful start-ups chose leaders ONLY from servants--regardless of previous ruling power, you had to work and serve under the church's authority before being promoted to leadership.

Incredibly, the failed start-up's reported these same results--and still insisted that they were good methods. They did not understand why they had failed.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top