By Shannon Caughey

I don’t like to fail. You don’t like to fail. All of us have probably encountered failure at some level—and there are definitely unpleasant aspects to that experience. Yet an aversion to failure can actually be a great hindrance in ministry.

When we have a fear of failure, we shy away from taking bold steps (it’s too risky). When we’re afraid to make mistakes, we never try anything new (staying where we are feels safest). Ironically, while we think we’re protecting ourselves from failure, we actually end up missing opportunities to be successful.

Consider Peter in Matthew 14:22-33. When he and the other disciples see Jesus walking on water, Peter gets excited about an opportunity. With Jesus’ permission, Peter also wants to try this water-walking thing (awfully risky). Jesus says, “Come,” and Peter gets out of the boat (leaving what’s safe). You know what happens next: Peter does well for awhile, but then he gets scared and starts to sink. Jesus grabs him and assures Peter that he can be trusted.

Did Peter fail? I suppose we could say he did. But what about all the others who never got out of the boat? Only Peter got a taste of walking on water. And he has a faith-deepening experience he would have missed had he refused to take a risk.

The only path to success—especially in what really matters—is a willingness to risk failure.

I confess that I have long struggled with a fear of failure. Through the plan for growth process, Jesus has been addressing this fear. People ask, “What if we attempt to start a second site and it fails?” Previously this question would have created anxiety in me. Now, by God’s grace, I have an increasing sense of peace about this risk. I believe we have to be willing to fail if we’re going to live out the kind of radical, stretching faith to which Jesus calls his followers.

What if an attempt to start a second site failed?  Is that really failure? It’s very likely we would learn some things that would enable us to be more effective in the future. Undoubtedly our faith would grow through this experience of taking risks and seeking to depend upon God more fully. There’s a great chance our love for one another would deepen as we pursue this adventure together. In God’s economy, that sure doesn’t sound like “failure.”