The belief that “success” is within our grasp also invades our churches. If only you are committed enough, if only you are passionate enough, you are told, you can “do great things for God.” At first, this message is inspiring. It taps into your God-given desire to work and do good. And so you push and press to “make your life count” only to see celebrity speakers and megachurch pastors take center stage at sold-out conferences while you slog away at a small brick church that sits at a bend in the road. And suddenly trying to change the world—and seeing it stay very much the same—feels like
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