What is Success?

I think every church struggles with the idea of defining success. Within ministry, I think success can be the ever-elusive, often strived for, ever so friendly killer. I know that sounds crazy, but bear with me.
It is easy to define success within a business. You either make a good product and make money on it or you don't. Your profits and your business grow or they don't. However, it ministry it is not that simple. There is no definite end point. In fact, we will not know the end point until we are with Jesus and see the result. Also, in ministry, just because you have large numbers doesn't mean that you are successful in what you are doing. Likewise, just because your numbers are small doesn't mean that you are not successful.
As I had lunch today, with our worship leader, it clicked that maybe we need to look at "successes" that are a result of our vision rather than the ever-elusive success. "Successes" are the marks on the way that let you know you are accomplishing our vision little by little. It is the person who comes because you let them ask questions and love them even though they don't agree with you. It is loving and serving a community even though they may not show up at your service. It encouraging and assisting a family that are struggling to make ends meet. It is loving and serving even when you may not be loved and served in return.
Jesus didn't gauge his success on the numbers who followed, whether He and the disciples made budget, or whether people "liked" his sermon. He gauged His success on His successes. 12 guys totally changed. A woman healed and accepted back into community. Hungry fed; thirsty refreshed.
Success is not attained in ministry and if you think it has been, you just lost it. Success is simply little successes along the way to fulfilling God's vision, "His dream", for the world.