Mediocre seems to be common place these days in our world. There are million of mediocre blogs out there, decent companies, mediocre organizations. For the consumer, there are often dozens and dozens of GOOD choices. But how often to we see something GREAT?
You could ask a similar question about churches. In my city, there is a church on every corner and sometimes two! There are lots of GOOD churches, but not a lot of GREAT ones. We recognize that churches are different in that they are not in competition with one another. We all know that ALL churches are needed. Still, what makes one church a GOOD church and what makes some churches GREAT? Here are four differences:
1. GOOD churches care about the community. They will reach out to cross the bridge between church and culture, and have a heart to make a difference. Still, GOOD churches aren’t willing to sacrifice tradition in order to innovate and impact culture.
GREAT churches will do anything to reach people for Jesus, even if it means stepping out of tradition and comfort levels. GREAT churches put walk to their talk and take risks to reach this generation and culture.
2. GOOD churches serve God and want to please him, but at the end of the day they are ultimately more concerned with pleasing man. GOOD churches have GOOD leaders with GOOD intentions. These GOOD leaders listen too much to the naysayers, the complainers and they eventually back off of the vision that God has given them.
GREAT churches, in the end, care more about what God has called them to do than about what is important to man. GREAT churches respect the 10-20% of all people who are the eternally unhappy, the complainers. Still, GREAT churches don’t allow these voices to reign over the voice that matters most.
3. GOOD churches do every GOOD thing, just because it is a GOOD thing and someone should probably be doing it. GOOD churches even do these GOOD things even if they are not really any GOOD at that GOOD thing.
GREAT churches know that just because a thing is a GOOD thing, that is not necessarily a GREAT thing. GREAT churches know that not all GOOD things are GOD things. They know when to say, “You know, we are no GOOD at that thing, so we will say no.” Because of this wisdom, this discipline to say “no” to the GOOD things, these GREAT churches are able to say “YES” to the things at which they are GREAT.
4. GOOD churches have GOOD messages that help a lot of people. They have GOOD programs that make GOOD sense and give them a GOOD name to many. GOOD churches, all too often though, rely on GOOD men and women, and GOOD human sense more than they rely on the GREAT things God wants to do through them.
GREAT churches have GOOD messages too, but their focus and intent is GREAT in that remains locked in on goal of restoring broken and hurting people through the power of the living Jesus Christ and his message of redemption and restoration for the world. GREAT churches often confound GOOD human wisdom, GOOD common sense and don’t limit themselves by their own GOOD programs. As a result, These churches have GREAT kingdom impact, GREAT eternal change and make GREAT difference in their communities and beyond.
What else makes a church GREAT?
