Success Revisited

Jackie went to Bible College full of dreams like every other young leader. No different than high school, some students were the cream of the crop and others, well, you know.  Jackie had fire for the Lord, but was not voted most likely to succeed.  That distinction was reserved for a few others, those favored by the masses and the profs.

A few years later, Jackie accepts a call to a very small, troubled church.  As I hear it, he spoke plainly to the church.  Their pattern was to run off every pastor.  Jackie would not be moved!  His calling was like Ezekiel, his forehead would be as flint.  He would need it.

Two years later he resigned.  He never went back into a full time “pastor” position.  So?  Oh yeah, while he was at that super small, troubled church he spotted Michael, a young man with future wired into him by the Most High. He began investing in Michael, playing tennis, getting ice cream, teaching him how to study the Bible.  One weekend, Jackie would be away and unable to find a speaker.  He asked Michael.  Shortly thereafter, Michael began filling pulpits around the area.

Today, Michael is leading a growing church.  Michael’s heart is alive to the Lord and the church is enjoying his leadership with nearly 50% growth in the church in less than 2 years.

Somewhere in the background of that story is Jackie.  Lost in the years gone by, buried by the geographical distance, he could look back and wonder if he made any difference, if his time as a leader of that congregation was just simply one filled with angst and disappointment.

We so often miss real success.  Measuring only what we see in the moment, we miss the seeds of significant investment in people like Michael, a young man who eventually moves on… and changes the world.

Thanks Jackie Gann for investing in the Kingdom!  Your passion has changed the world of people you will never know or even meet.

Success in the Kingdom is always one life impacting another and leaving the results to God.  Jackie, along with others I am sure, planted and watered in Michael’s life.  God gave the increase, and increase it surely is.

It’s been a few decades since this initial investment, but the dividends are still coming.  One leader invests in one young man and God gives the increase.  That is success!!!