Rivalries Shouting Out Profanity

I sometimes wonder when I’m driving and I see a Verizon employee drive past a Comcast employee do they each have this bitter rivalry that they can’t even smile at each other.  Do they wish harm on the other person?  Is there such a competition about who’s company and in essence who is the best that they can’t stand in the same elevator together?  Do they shout out profanity and insults about each other’s family and friends?  What about some of these rivalries?

• BMW vs. Mercedes drivers?
• Eagles vs. Cowboys fans?  Although I am pretty sure Eagles fans say a lot about a lot of things and people.  May need to roll up the window for that one if the kids are in the backseat.
• Nike vs. Adidas?
• North Carolina vs. Duke?
• Coke vs. Pepsi?
• PC vs. Apple?

Do these companies wish for their competitor to be successful?  Do they hope that they will grow as individuals or as a company?  Do they want the very best for them?  It’s not whether you win or lose it’s how you play the game, yeah right, we all know that is why you keep score.  It’s to win, right?  See you can say all the right things publicly but do you really mean it?  Sometimes companies thrive under that winner take all, domination of the underdog mentality.  What about the church?

Is your church generally happy for the church down the street that has higher attendance?  The church that offers more programs or has better ministries?  The church who serves the community more or has a greater impact globally through missions?  The church who gets the media coverage or plants more churches?  How you respond to that will directly reflect your attitude about God and His Kingdom.

• The church who cares more about the Kingdom than their own personal influence, I believe, will in the long run be the healthier church.
• The church who cheers on the church down the street as they experience life change instead of complaining about how or what they are doing, I believe, in the long run will be the healthier church.
• Too many churches bicker and fight over who they have and who they share instead of realizing there are thousands of people who need Jesus.
• I believe God blesses those who are Kingdom minded.
• I believe God cheers on the church who is more concerned about people connecting to Him than people connecting to the institution.
• I believe God celebrates when He sees communities working together to achieve something only explained by God.
• I believe that people will respond more to (a) church(es) who work together to reach communities than fight against each other to reach an individual.

I am as competitive as the next person.  I want the biggest church.  I want the best programs.  I want the media coverage.  I want see the life change.  I want to have that influence to help people meet Jesus.  I want, I want, I want. I want God to take individuals and use them to do something that is so insane that it can only be explained by God.  I want God to transform homes.  I want God to transform communities.  I want to see generations affected by His Gospel.  I want to be used by God.

It won’t ever happen if it becomes about me, my agenda, my personality, my vision or my effort.  It is a collaborative effort of individuals and churches working together to honor God and to share His name.  If everybody worked together to make God’s name famous than I believe He will build our circle of influence, our churches and our impact.  It’s about serving others with no strings attached.  It’s not about what you will get out of it but what can you give.

What’s your thoughts?

Change & Response

I saw a Comcast commercial last night where the gentleman starts out saying, “The world is changing and Comcast is responding.”  Sounds great, very touching, moving, relevant and yet what a horrible business model for anybody to follow.  This is not a hate blog towards Comcast, I have their service and it is fine.

Anytime an individual, a business, a church says that is is responding to change it says something about who they are and how they lead.  There are times that necessitate response but I would like to be on the other end that causes those around to have to respond.   The Gospel is powerful and requires a response from others.  Serving is powerful and requires a response from others.  Vision is powerful and requires a response from others.  Do you get where I’m going with this?  There is a time to respond and follow and there are times to initiate change and lead.

As Ed Young says, “Change, conflict, growth.”  Every situation involves this formula of change, conflict and growth.  When you are leading you will face this with almost every decision.  When you initiate change and lead you will see this formula play out in your organization.  I don’t want to respond to change, I want to be a catalyst for change.  You can’t be scared about who will say it and how others will react to it.  Leaders lead.  Leaders initiate change.  Leaders force others to respond.  How about you? Are you a changer or a responder?