Earlier this week, I mentioned in this space that I’m reading 7 Practices of Effective Ministry by the gang over at North Point Community Church. There’s some pretty good stuff in the book – and I’m only on the first “explanatory” chapter about what it means to “clarify the win.”
Anyway, we read this kind of stuff and we think, “OK, that’s all good – for the big ol’ churches that have the resources and staff and all that. But it’s not for us ‘regular Joes.'” We think all that and then we read in the 7 Practices book that one of the ostensibly “big church effective” things that North Point does actually came from one of those “regular Joe” churches. The section about using video testimonies in connection with baptisms includes this little paragraph…
In fairness, I must point out that we got the idea of shooting video testimonies from a small church in our area. You should always be on the lookout for creative ways to communicate the win. (p. 82)
Now, I could nitpick, and say it would’ve been really cool for the North Point “big boys” to actually name the “small church in our area” where they got the idea – that would’ve been a huge win for the small church. But the fact that they included that “admission” was pretty encouraging for me.
I’ve often said that some of the best preaching, most creative programming, etc. is going on every single week in some of the most “obscure” places. Every bit as “good” and effective as the mega-guys – just not as noticed. Whatever “small church in our area” did the video testimony thing probably borrowed it from somebody else. They thought it was cool. And they probably never expected that God would use that idea to bless North Point, and through North Point, to bless the rest of the Kingdom!
The moral of the story? Be on the lookout for good stuff – everywhere and anywhere you go. It’s not just the big boys who have great ideas.
God bless the “regular Joes and Janes”! Help us be as committed to excellence for Your Kingdom’s sake as the big guys. And help us be appreciative when the big guys give us a shout!
