In my last post I made a pretty strong point about how content and substance is the point while size and numbers are not.  It is not so much that they are completely irrelevant however whether it is a good thing or a neutral (at best!) thing is dependent upon the content and substance of that thing which is small or large.  In a post about Starbucks Simon Sinek makes my point perfectly and I want to recommend it to you here.  He talks about how "why" is the filter that decides "what."  Bingo!!  Do we know our "why"?  Are we letting it decide "what"?  Or is "how many" or "how big" steering now?  

One of the things that also struck me in this entry is how we try to manage a situation where we have gotten "fuzzy" about why and are slipping in our game.  What he talks about is how we try to manage the "product" most often.  We try to tweak the product all along forgetting that Starbucks was never about coffee.... it was about what Sinek calls "the third space" between home and work.  Coffee was part of the aroma of the experience.  So applying this to church what is the "product" that we seek to tweak in order to promote and increase in numbers, impact etc....  Can you say W.O.R.S.H.I.P. .S.E.R.V.I.C.E.S.!

Now don't get me wrong... I love them.  Preaching is my call so I really love them.  But is it our "why?"  Or are they means to another end?  Sorry obvious question.  But is it?  Because it seems to me that in practice we tend to act like we don't really see that one as clearly as we say we do.

Our "why" is The Kingdom of God.  Our "why" is the four foci of this Kingdom that Jesus lays out for us in Luke 4.  Our "why" is a creation and humanity redeemed... rescued.  Nothing less.  If you've read the piece then you'll know what I'm saying when I ask.. "who are our McDonald's?"  Who is cornering the "market" while we go fuzzy on why?  Who is more sure of their why so that our fuzziness leaves us vulnerable?  How about in your life?

I know it is just a blog entry but this is HUGE stuff.  This needs some thought.  This needs to some late night wrestling sessions.  This is the stuff of a life lived well or a life squandered.  What are your answers?