I’ve been thinking about one of our core values lately and decided to open up some dialogue about it this week. We started the church with a sold-out commitment to do everything with excellence - from our music, to our printed materials, our service to people, etc. And I think probably everyone starts with that kind of commitment, but it doesn’t take long before you bump up against mediocrity – that attitude that says, “Oh come on, that’s good enough.” I hate the “good enough” spirit. It makes me crazy.
On Saturday, I was running some errands with the kids and we stopped and ate at Lenny’s, which is a good sandwich shop that started here in Memphis, and now has stores all over the US. The food is good, but the service is always great. In fact, I can’t recall one time when I’ve been to a Lenny’s and the service wasn’t great. Not perfect, but consistently excellent. They just have it figured out.
As the church has grown, the challenge to remain excellent has been intense at times. The more complex the church gets, the harder it is to maintain excellence in every area. In fact, I would say that in every season of church life, there has always been one area or two (or six or seven) that we’re lacking that excellent spirit. It’s a never-ending fight. I’ll share some specific thoughts about it throughout the week.
It’s hard to define excellence, but you know it when you see it and feel it.
When I think about excellence in ministry, I ask myself “What would I do if I were hosting Jesus at my house?” I would have everything planned out. The place would be clean and organized and preparation would be extensive. I think of Colossians 3:23, which says, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men”. We host Jesus each service and should prepare and serve accordingly. There is definitely a “spirit of excellence” at The Life Church. I sense it in everything we do. It’s such a privilege and honor to serve in that environment and see the fruit of our labors each and every service through Fresh Starts, encouraged Christians, and changed lives! Keep setting the standard high. God deserves our best!