Lausanne World Pulse – The Productivity Myth
By John Edmiston
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The truly effective and productive missionary is the one whose precious and godly work of love survives into eternity. |
The three moments we most remember Jesus for are times when he was completely, physically motionless, when he was: (1) wrapped in swaddling clothes as a baby, (2) nailed to the cross, and (3) laying in the tomb. At these three moments Jesus’ productivity was not measurable by any modern, corporate missionary standard; and yet it is precisely these moments that changed the world.
Similarly, many of the prophets and apostles did their greatest work while in prison or in exile. These men of faith did not have corporations—instead, they had deserts and disciples. Indeed, none of the prophets or apostles seemed to have ministered from organizational strength; they were Spirit-led individuals: “The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit” (John 3:8).
These observations, along with several others, have led me to question the way we often do missionary work today. We have blended modern management theory with the urgency of the Great Commission to create an addictive and compulsive “productivity treadmill” that is emotionally, mentally, and spiritually exhausting. The presence of spiritual qualities such as love, joy, and peace has been replaced by Excel spreadsheets and the need for an increased number of indicated decisions for Christ per donor dollar. As a direct consequence the Church is being deprived of deeply spiritual missions exemplars that can inspire future generations.