Being successful through failing

Taking risks is a step of faith, and we should never hide our reluctance to risk under the guise of so-called good stewardship.
 
In the parable of the ten minas (Luke 19), three servants were entrusted to leverage their master’s assets in His absence. Two succeeded and were praised and rewarded. The third servant cared not for his master’s welfare and was severely judged. Clearly, the successful stewards were ready to risk failure, while the third was not. God expects us to emulate the wise stewards. No risk equals no reward.
 
I’m inclined to think that OM took greater steps of faith together 30 or 40 years ago than today. I was sent to line up a ship’s visit—the very idea of a gospel ship widely ridiculed—when I was 23. When I had little life experience, let alone skills, leaders were willing to risk failure to see the ministry go forward and for me to develop. Perhaps it’s time to include an experience of failure and some exercises in risk as part of our leadership training. We need to create buffer zones where people can face failure and grow through it, because failure is 10 times the teacher that success can ever be. 


You can't go back...

I regret not taking more little risks as opportunity arose over the years. The total restructuring of our movement was an enormous risk that, thankfully, will pay off for future generations. But it—and with it, my career—could have failed massively.
 
Someone has said that “the errors of faith are better than the best thoughts of unbelief.” It’s okay to doubt and question our own abilities, but unbelief that God is sovereign is sin. OM is what we are today despite its many critics, strained relationships and failures made in good faith. Focusing on the least reached is no different; it will test our capacities, expose weaknesses in character (more significant than in structures) and be a bumpy road. We need to welcome risk, failure and rejection as part of life. Focusing on the least reached entails risk and, likely, failures as we lay all we have and are on the line. Avoiding risk is not an option and will guarantee ultimate failure. 
 
We also run the risk of talking about the least reached but not actually connecting with them. We can hide our reluctance to risk under the need for more research and feedback and enhancing infrastructure endlessly, whereas God may want us to just show up at their doors in faith that He will make our paths straight. I’ve visited a number of fields where first-generation disciples are living among least-reached peoples and bearing fruit. But we cannot presume that this will happen everywhere just because we have a vision statement and certain boxes are ticked. 
 
We need to train people to experiment with ministry and team life. Our leaders must exhibit a transparency and willingness to stretch our capacities and vision, and to encourage their teams to learn from failure. The Bible is full of great people who failed in good faith; from Adam to the apostles, the message is that God can raise us up from failure to do great things for Him. Though forgiven and empowered to lead the church, Peter would still hear roosters crow for the rest of his life! 
 
Trusting God is no guarantee against failure. How we deal with our failures is more important than the failure itself. We will fail if we’re trying hard enough to succeed, but we ourselves are not failures. Do not let this experience become a burden; God has much more in store.