Re-defining Fruit

“We have been called to be fruitful--not successful, not productive, not accomplished. Success comes from strength, stress, and human effort. Fruitfulness comes from vulnerability and the admission of our own weakness.” (Henri Nouwen)

I have a great fear that we have missed the definition of fruit. We look to the mega-churches for models and definitions of a healthy successful church. (Don't get me wrong, I am thankful for the Willow Creeks and the Saddlebacks. They are expanding the Kingdom in their respective contexts.) But what about the little guys? The churches that will probably never grow over 125 people. The missionary who is slugging out in a context that is at best unreceptive and at worst hostile to the message of Jesus? What does fruit look like there?

As a pastor this is a question that I wrestle with all the time. Our church's mission is "...helping people take one step closer to Jesus Christ." But how does this look? How do we know that it is happening?

I would love to hear some feedback from anyone out there as to what they think "fruit" looks like in the 21st century. Obviously it will line up with the "fruit of the Spirit" in Galatians, but what are some of the more concrete ways that we can tell that we are being fruitful?