Fruit.
Today’s post is mostly targeted to ministries, churches and non-profit organizations, though it does apply to each of us individually.
As someone who was in Christian radio for many years, and active in churches and ministries, I have seen a good deal of dysfunction in organizations over the years. (I wasn’t immune to it, either.)
One thing that really bugs me is when people try to justify or overlook this dysfunction - bullying, racism, exploitation, lack of accountability, untruths, sexism, misuse of funds, greed, pride, deceit, etc - by saying, “But look at their fruit! God is honoring them!”
Please stop.
Do not confuse temporary success with evidence of fruit.
The Bible says we can recognize a person’s true nature by their fruit, and this has nothing to do with ratings, financial success, or the size of the congregation.
Fruit has nothing to do with appearances or awards and acclaim. It isn’t based on talent or gifts.
Instead it is about testing a person’s true nature — especially leaders or teachers — based on the evidence of their behavior and the results of their teaching. It is about character and actions.
Here’s the fruit we should be observing:
Love — Seeking the best for others.
Joy — An inner sense of contentment and delight.
Peace — Harmony and rest, even in chaos.
Patience — Willingness to wait and bear with others.
Kindness — Treating others with warmth and generosity.
Goodness — A heart and behavior aligned with integrity and virtue.
Faithfulness — Being trustworthy and reliable.
Gentleness — Humility and consideration for others.
Self-Control — The ability to govern one’s emotions, thoughts, and actions.
You want to inspect fruit? Put down the ratings, balance sheets and annual reports.
Talk to the staff. The cleaning crew. The volunteers. The kids.
Look at the leaders and see if you find grace, integrity, humility, and respect.
I often quote my friend Jason who once said this about radio ministries, “If you want to win on the air, you have to win in the hallways first.”
That applies to your church, your business, and your home.
Inspecting fruit is fine. Just make sure you’re looking at the right things.
Truth!
Yes!
This is true in the local church world, too! Some people confuse worldly success (like a hike in congregation numbers) with God blessing the pastor/church for its good works. We must remember the scripture that talks about people following teachers in droves because they hear “what their itching ears want to hear” and remember that when Jesus started teaching hard truths, the masses stopped following him with only a few remaining behind. Numbers does not equal success, at least not in the way God counts success.