warning–this post may be offensive.
For the record Lifepoint Church was launched on Feb. 5th 2006. That is approximately 11 months ago. I find it very interesting how many times in the past 11 months that I have had people come up and ask me when/if we are going to have _________ ministry. You can fill in the blank. Student Ministry. Senior Citizens. Singles. Evangelism. Awana. Discipleship Programs. You get the idea. In order to answer the question I find myself reminiscing on two occasions when I was dining out. Please allow me to share them with you.
The first experience I want to talk about took place at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. If you have ever been to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, then you know that it is quite a treat. Michelle and I were back in Annapolis, MD, a few years ago when my dad gave me money and told me that he had made reservations for us to eat at Ruth’s Chris. Hang with me now. I can still remember my wife and I walking in to the steakhouse. We immediately felt as if we were royalty or perhaps mistaken for someone wealthy. We were greeted warmly and quickly led to our table. There was no waiting. It was as if someone was expecting me. At our table our waiter was sure to welcome us and to explain everything to us. He told us about how they only serve grain fed cattle that was raised in the United States. He spoke of how the plates come out of the kitchen at a balmy 500 degrees and that the steaks are seared to perfection at 1800 degrees. I remember ordering a lobster bisque soup that rocked my world. The ala cart roasted garlic mashed potatoes were downright mouthwatering. The steak was nothing short of heavenly. We topped off then night with some Creme Brulee. Wow, what a meal. It’s amazing to think that I had that experience somewhere around 8 years ago. 8 years and I’m still dreaming about it. I can’t begin to tell you how many people I have shared with about my dining experience at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
My second experience I wish to share with you took place at a restaurant that will remain nameless. I remember walking through the front door to be greeted by a line of customers awaiting the opportunity to grab a tray, a fork, and a cup. We paid before we ate and then we found our way to the nearest vacant table. On our way we walked past numerous empty tables that still spoke of meals gone by. The people were gone but the bones remained. Upon finding our table we were greeted and informed that the trough was ready for consumption…have at it. In pursuit of a suitable meal I passed the salad bar, the dessert bar, the asian section, the “everything is fried” section, the steak section, the pizza section, the soup section. I was paralyzed. I didn’t know where to begin. I bounced from steak to salad to dessert to asian and back again. I remember thinking to myself that these guys offered everything under the sun to eat yet I wasn’t satisfied. That’s when it hit me. These guys do a lot of things mediocre and nothing really amazing.
I think part of the problem that churches have encountered over the years is that rather than being a steakhouse that focuses on doing a few things with excellence we have become a buffet that everything with mediocrity. The problem in the words of John Maxwell, is that “people don’t pay for average.” When was the last time you called a friend and said, “hey, you should try that new restaurant it is very average.” Or, “you should check out that new Rocky Balboa movie, I give it 2 stars.”
I can’t help but think that as a church we have the responsibility of sharing the most incredible, life changing message of Jesus Christ with the world. Unfortunately, many who experience our “brand” of Christianity walk away saying, it was bland. Average. Mediocre. Kind of like I felt when I left the buffet. I believe this is an injustice!
My focus as pastor of Lifepoint is to ensure that as a church we do not feel compelled to offer every ministry available, but rather to present Jesus in the most intriguing and excellent manner. I want people to walk away from an experience at Lifepoint the same way I did at Ruth’s Chris. I want their experience to change their life. Their experience at Lifepoint should be the measuring stick they use to measure all other life experiences. Mark my words, “Nobody should offer more creativity, more inspiration, and more exhilaration than the local church.”
As a church leader the choice is yours. Where do you want to eat tonight? Ruth’s Chris or the local buffet? You choose.
Ruth’s Chris…even the name is intriguing…what does it mean?
The restaurant is named for founder Ruth Fertel. She bought a restaurant in New Orleans called Chris Steakhouse in 1965 and renamed it Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse. Eventually it has been franchised to 30 states, the District of Columbia, Canada, Mexico, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
Among its most prominent endorsers are Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.
Ridge Stone Backstage began posting again finally….good stuff to say on this topic – check it out: http://www.ridgestonebackstage.com/?p=63
Thank you Jeff for this thoughtful blog. Our church launched October 1, 2006 hoping to have the same focus in doing a few things with excellence and trying to avoid the questions of when we would have _____ministry. I appreciate the encouraging words and the comparison to your experience at the steakhouse. Thanks!
[...] 8. Refuse to do everything PERIOD! I think every church should decide up front what they WILL and WILL NOT do. You owe it to the people who come through you doors to be honest about what you will not do. We refused to do everything. Here is our list of what we will do: Worship Experiences, Children’s Ministry, Small Groups, Student Ministry. That’s about it. Come back in five years and you’ll get the same answer. We would rather be a steakhouse than a buffet. [...]