Be You

While I was driving today I heard on the radio that Subway is now serving breakfast.  Really?  No offense to Subway but when I think of breakfast they are the last fast food industry that I think of.  I’m sure they have done marketing and research.  I’m sure they have even talked to consumers about the possibility of this endeavor.  Their build a better breakfast slogan is catchy and the food does look very good, however.  My question is this, why can’t Subway do what they are good at?  It’s the same reason why Chick-Fil-A does not make burgers or KFC does not make Tacos because they know what they are good at and they stick to it. (Yes I am aware that KFC joins together with Taco Bell and Pizza Hut)

Once again it got me thinking about us as individuals trying to be something we are not.  Maybe we are trying to be all things to all people.  Maybe we don’t even know who we are now.  As a pastor I know who I am and who I am not.

• I know I am not going to write a book that will give the world 40 days of purpose like Rick Warren.
• I know I am not going to have the fashion sense or tenacity of a Steven Furtick.
• I know I am not going to wear polo shirts and speak from a stool where every word I speak should be written in a leadership book like Andy Stanley.
• I know I am not going to be able to get away with cussing like Mark Driscoll.
• I know I am not going to sing and act out my messages like Ed Young.
• I know I am not going to smile relentlessly like Joel Olsteen.
• I know I am not going to be as deep and studied as Mark Batterson.
• I know I am not going to be as funny and raw and bold as Perry Noble.
• I know I am not going to have the faith and passion of a Francis Chan.
• I know I am not going to have the incredible voice of T.D. Jakes.
• I know I am not going to have the build or as many campuses as Craig Groeschel.
• I know I am not going to have powerful worship in my church like Brian Houston.
• I know I am not going to stand through trials like Matt Chandler.

What I do know is that I was not created to be them.  I was created to be me.  I was created to serve God to the best of my abilities.  The quicker you and I realize who we were created to be the quicker you and I will experience the life that God created us to enjoy.

So don’t be a Subway where you come across as desperate chasing the competition but do what you do and do it better than anybody else.

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?