Encouraging book. Begins with them telling their story of how they ended up discouraged in ministry on account of a sense of failure, and how this sparked their study that led to this book. This is followed by their definition of success in about seven different points. These provide a helpful way to truly measure success in God's eyes. They conclude with encouragements and sources of encouragement to the discouraged pastor, as well as ways the congregation and wife can help.

"I know someone who struggles with this..." Yeah right! The beginning story was worth it for me! Anyone in ministry knows it is easy to evaluate yourself based on what you see and can quantify, and feel like a failure when what you quantify fits on one hand. There seems to be a lurking pragmatism in the thinking of many today that if you're faithful, God bless your ministry; if you're not fruitful, something is wrong; if people aren't getting saved, something is wrong.

This book was a lifesaver to me at a time I was pretty down. "Success is not numbers" is not just something the losers say to encourage themselves! Radical faithfulness to God and seeking radically to please him is truly the standard of success. Let the chips fall where they may.

[from matthauck.typepad.com] ( )

Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome by Kent Hughes/ Barbara Hughes (?)