More on Church Competition (Are you ready for some football?)
Yesterday I caused some people to think and others to throw things. The idea that I would introduce competition among churches as an idea for Kingdom growth excites some people. Obviously the word excites can have positive and negative connotations. (Feel free to comment those thoughts for the general public. Don’t hold back. I love competing thoughts too!)
What if I made the idea more palatable by calling it variety? What if we offered more choices of churches, so that we bring more opportunity to engage the unchurched and lost people’s interests, and could thereby give more people an opportunity to hear the Gospel? Would that make it easier to accept? I still like the concept of competition; not in a competitive sense, but perhaps in a competitive spirit. Mainly though I was speaking in terms of volume of churches more than the concept of competing against one another; and definitely not in a this one wins and this one loses; since we are all trying to “win” the same prize; the glory and honor of God our Father.
As with any word there are numerous definitions to the word completion. One that’s closest to what I’m suggesting is: The act of seeking, or endeavoring to gain, what another is endeavoring to gain at the same time.
Ideally we are seeking cooperation, not competition, but the competitive spirit that drives our business world may sometimes be needed to drive our church world to greater success. We should always desire and push for excellence in all we do. We should strive to win a lost world to Christ. My church tries its methods. Your church tries theirs. Somehow through our different “competing” efforts we win some for Christ. You win some in your church and I win some in mine. (Obviously God’s Spirit wins people, but don’t be so technical. You get the idea.)
So, put your boxing gloves on…let the games begin… Just kidding…..Let’s do give it everything we have, however, so that Christ may be exalted!
Leave a Reply