Service with Excellence

1. Service with Excellence Excellence in ministry is not one arbitrary line that measures all situations Excellence is each of us, individually and congregationally, doing our best with the unique resources and limitations we have Good enough is not good enough

2. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, (Colossians 3:23)

3. Excellence honors God and inspires people We use our gifts ministering as good stewards of God The believer is given gifts so that he can fulfill his task on earth – glorifying God

4. Believers use their gifts serving and ministering to one another The believer is to serve by being a good steward of the grace or gift of God. No one can exercise the gift of the believer except the believer himself If he fails to exercise his gifts he fails his purpose

5. Believersserve by ministering in God’s strength Diakonos is the Greek word from which comes servant, minister or deacon To minister is to serve – it is service performed in God’s strength True Christian service or ministry is always energized by the Spirit of God

6. Excellence honors God and inspires people. We give our best to God because He gives His best to us, and He is worthy of worship through excellence.

7. When people know that we will be at our best in ministry, methods, and facilities they respond If attraction, growth and formation are expected outcomes of excellence then give attention to: Style – better a little too contemporary than a little too traditional Atmosphere – more informal than straight jacketed; warm and relaxed not sloppy or poorly planned Guests – welcome guests but don’t embarrass them

8. Seven Trends Leading to the Pursuit of Excellence 1. Churchgoers satisfied with an average level of quality and limited choices in congregational life began to disappear. 2. Successor generations came with demands for excellence 3. Competition among congregations to attract and retain new members

9. Trends cont’d 3. Competition among congregations to attract and retain new members 4. Ecumenism – made moving between faith traditions easier. 5. Boomers and Busters born after WWII prefer larger churches that can respond to their demands for quality, choices, and specialized ministries. Demand for a high level of competence in the professional staff.

10. Trends 6. The response to mission has been to enlist, train, place and support members who personally do mission in the community and the world rather than subsidize denominational staffers. 7. Competing agendas and limits on resources make it impossible for denominational systems to respond to pleas from their constituents.

11. The believer serves so that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ He does not preach of teach to draw attention and gain a name for himself He does not minister, visit or give to secure recognition honor or praise God and Christ alone deserve all the praise and glory

12. We are to be obsessed with God’s gift and call, with the mission and task He has given us. We are to be so obsessed that absolutely nothing can keep us from using God’s gifts and from completing our task and mission.

13. Is the quest for excellence legalistic Some feel that seeking excellence is merely a striving for image We strive for excellence in ministry because God desires our excellence He wants us to do our best in the struggle of faith, not just our “better than” someone else.

14. In our competitive society, we sometimes fail to remember that excellence isn’t determined by comparing our score to someone else’s. Excellence comes from giving one’s best, no matter the score.

15. Excellent Outcomes – Where are we, where are we going? Are people growing?” Are pastor and leaders helping in that growth? Are people active in ministries? Are we reaching beyond our doors with the gospel?