One More Project, Boys! An Explanation of the Performance Mindset

Hebrews 4:10- "for anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his."

Now that you are a Christian, what else is there to do? Growing up, my Dad had a famous saying for me and my brother. When doing chores, it felt at times we would never finish. It was then that we would hear my Dad say, "One more project, boys!" Off we would go to another job. 

I fear that we are reinforcing a "one more project" mentality on people in the church without even realizing it. People with a performance mindset relate to God from a reward-based, punishment-minded, and obligation-driven mentality. In other words, we think, "God will bless me if I do right, but God will get me if I do wrong, or worse become disappointed in me."  As a result, people sitting in our pews harbor doubts about their eternal destiny, confusion about what God thinks of them, uncertainty of God's unconditional love, and insecurity from expectations from the church and God. This reality is ironic since we regularly teach salvation by grace and the assurance of salvation we receive through Christ. So, where does the performance mindset come from?

Most of us who grew up in the evangelical church were most likely taught salvation by grace through faith alone, but then discipled on a journey laced with performance as markers of our growing discipleship. How do I know this is so? 

We who were led to Christ in an evangelical setting have been trained to evangelize by stressing to unchurched people the free gift of salvation by grace alone, but then we disciple new converts to grow by taking on the "duties" of a good Christian. We disciple in the manner we were discipled. We coach new Christians to get into a Bible-believing church. We teach them the role of baptism. We train them to share their new-found faith. We encourage them to read the Bible. We model for them how to pray. We cultivate practice-based, discipline-driven discipleship, reinforcing the mindset of "one more project." Not that any of these practices are wrong or should not be cultivated, but when performance is emphasized they become an end rather than the means to the end. 

A "one more project" mindset produces a works-based Christian life that we somehow avoided at the altar of salvation. Suddenly, before their first month walking with Jesus new believers are strapped with the essential to-do list for the obedient Christ-follower, making "one more project" the subtle expectation to stay right with God. A reward-based, punishment-minded, and obligation-driven mentality becomes their core reality of life because performance has been our core reality of life.

Freedom from that performance mindset comes from the same grace that saved us. As disciples of Christ, grace now rules our hearts. Grace now shapes our thoughts. Grace now compels our response to God. Now grace transforms our self-perception. Grace now drives us to His words. As believers, grace now motivates our prayers. Everything we do as saved people represents our response to a holy and gracious God. A holy God who demands holiness, but a gracious God who sees us as holy when we don't look the part. By grace, the reward we seek becomes based upon Christ's performance. The punishment we abhor, Christ took on our behalf. The obligation we strive to fulfill we find fulfilled in Christ. By grace, works are ceased. Rest is assured. And mercy defines us. No longer does our lack of performance indict us. By grace, Christ's performance defines our own, liberating us to enjoy who He is and who He is making us to become. 

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