What is it, you want to look back on and celebrate?

I have asked this particular question to many leaders, pastors and to people who claim to be Christ's disciple is - 'What is it you want to celebrate when you look back? In most cases, invariably the response was always in terms of programs, activities and events.

In the story of the prodigal son, the father celebrated the return of his son who happened to be the cause for all the mess, but made a conscious decision to return back to his father. In heaven there is a celebration every time over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous people who don’t need repentance (Luke 15:7). The ninety-nine people are already the righteous ones or maybe even good Church goers, but a successful crowd without repenting their sins. If you notice here, rejoicing was not about the quantitative accomplishment, but it's the one on which the impact is highlighted and becomes the reason for celebration.

Celebration becomes meaningful over a fulfilled expectation, when the goal is set and reached and then over an outcome achieved. The truth of the matter is that with or without a goal, people are going to work hard to get somewhere. But the question is, are they getting where they want to go? Paul makes it very clear when he says this, “So I do not run like one who run aimlessly or box like one beating the air.”. 1 Corinthians 9:26

Clarify the outcome: The most important thing in Christian walk of life and in ministry is to clarify your end goal or end win. A defined goal having definite outcome and impact enlisted will give you a purpose and keep people on proper track not allowing them to operate in random.

Have a clear roadmap: Basically, what I am saying is to have a well-defined steps to reach the end goal. Not Programs. Your programs should take people somewhere, not simply use up their time. Ask yourself, where do we want our people to be? What do we want them to become? Is our programming designed to take them there?

Exit strategy: One day someone else will be doing what you are doing. Whether you have an exit strategy or not, ultimately, you will exit. So, embrace the inevitable and prepare now for the future. And more importantly prepare second line leadership who can do better than you and sustain the work you have created.

Monitoring and Evaluation: Everything will look good if you don’t have a mechanism to evaluate what you are doing. We can all be in this thing called “Feel-good factor”. You feel good about what you are doing, you measure things to make it look good. Paul says, that such people who measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves lack understanding (2 Corinthians 10:12)

If you look carefully in the Bible you will know that to a larger extent all the celebrations were the accomplishment and impact, not events and program in itself. May God sharpen your perspective to define what you intend to celebrate and move toward the goal.

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