A Conference on Failure

This is an except from Fail: Finding Hope and Grace in the Midst of Ministry Failure by J.R. Briggs

Failure teaches us lessons seminary never could. The reality is crisis makes us either weaker or deeper. It is a crucible experience. At the beginning of each Epic Fail Pastors’ event, I ask two questions: why are you here? and what you are feeling right now? A few years ago at an event, I asked if anybody was feeling scared or nervous. Two-thirds of the hands went up. No doubt: it’s scary to enter into a space to talk about and process failure. After courageous pastors share their answers with the room, I always tell them the three reasons why I’m there with them: because my understanding of success in ministry is wrong, because I am petrified of failure and shame and because I am a slow learner who is massively in need of grace.

As I’ve tried with great effort to develop a healthy and robust theology of failure, several questions keep rolling around in my head:

• What does ‘success’ look like in ministry?

• What is the gospel and do I really believe it to be enough for me as a pastor? Can God possibly use me for his purposes or am I just screwing things up even more?

• Is there a desk job I can get instead?

• Am I as much a failure in reality as I believe I am? And am I the only one to feel these things?

Why would you attend a conference on failure? What questions roll around in your head as you think about failure? What lessons has failure taught you?