faithful

It's a word that is rarely emphasized in the Christian church today.  In fact, the only time it's referred to is at funerals.  The person being remembered is affirmed for their faithfulness.
It's not a feature of the current Church growth leadership culture.  Just like in business, the success of a pastor and his or her church is compared to how it has grown in the past year.  If it's in the positive by a wide margin, affirmations abound.  If they've faithfully preached the Gospel and loved their congregation, it is forgotten if attendance has declined, offerings have dropped or both. It's interesting to me, that when the Bible refers to "faithful" it is describing God's nature.  Jesus did not draw large crowds or raise great sums. He was faithful to what God asked Him to do.  In so doing, He changed everything.  The word is in the Bible 276 times.  Maybe we should focus on it, and discover there is a whole other aspect to ministry than just the incorporation of "leadership principles" into our fellowships.

Ex. 15:13; 20:6; 34:6–7; Num. 12:7; 14:18–19; Deut. 4:4; 5:10; 7:9; 10:20; 11:22; 13:4; 30:20; 32:4; 33:8; 1 Sam. 2:9, 35; 22:14; 2 Sam. 7:15; 20:19; 22:26; 1 Kings 3:6; 2 Kings 18:6; 1 Chr. 16:34, 41; 17:13; 2 Chr. 1:8; 5:13; 6:41–42; 7:3, 6; 20:21; 32:1, 32; 35:26; Ezra 3:11; Neh. 7:2; 9:8, 17; 13:14, 22; Job 10:12; 37:13; Psa. 4:3; 5:7; 6:4; 12:1; 13:5; 16:10; 17:7; 18:25; 21:7; 23:6; 25:6–7, 10; 26:3; 30:4; 31:7, 16, 21, 23; 32:6, 10; 33:18, 22; 36:5, 7, 10; 37:28; 42:8; 44:26; 48:9; 50:5; 51:1; 52:1, 8–9; 57:3, 10; 59:10, 16–17; 61:7; 62:12; 63:3; 66:20; 69:13, 16; 77:8; 78:8; 79:2; 85:7–8, 10; 86:2, 5, 13, 15; 88:11; 89:1–2, 14, 19, 28, 33, 37, 49; 90:14; 92:2; 94:18; 97:10; 100:5; 101:1, 6; 103:4, 8, 11, 17; 106:1, 7, 45; 107:1, 8, 15, 21, 31, 43; 108:4; 109:21, 26; 115:1; 116:15; 117:2–118:4; 118:29; 119:41, 64, 76, 88, 124, 149, 159; 130:7; 132:9, 16; 136:1–26; 138:8; 141:5; 143:8, 12; 144:2; 145:8, 10, 13, 17; 146:6; 147:11; 148:14–149:1; 149:5, 9; Prov. 2:8; 12:22; 21:21; 28:20; Is. 1:21, 26; 26:2; 49:7; 55:3; 57:1; 63:7; Jer. 9:24; 16:5; 31:3; 32:18; 33:11; 42:5; Lam. 3:22, 32; Hos. 4:1; 6:6; 10:12; 11:12; Joel 2:13; Jonah 2:8; 4:2; Mic. 7:2, 18, 20; Zech. 7:9; 8:3, 8; Matt. 24:45; 25:21, 23; Luke 12:42; 16:10–12; 19:17; 1 Cor. 1:9; 4:2, 17; 7:25; 10:13; 2 Cor. 1:18; Eph. 1:1; 6:21; Col. 1:2, 7; 4:7, 9; 1 Th. 5:24; 2 Th. 3:3; 1 Tim. 1:12; 3:11; 2 Tim. 2:2, 13; Titus 1:6, 9; Heb. 2:17; 3:2, 5–6; 10:23; 11:11; 1 Pet. 4:19; 5:12; 1 John 1:9; Rev. 1:5; 2:10, 13; 3:14; 17:14; 19:11; 21:5; 22:6
I'm glad God focuses on Redemption. He is faithful.  Praise God!