reading this weekend. many church planters have excellence as a core value. WRC has such a statement. excellence is relative, but depending on the neighborhood, excellence can make you or break you. you have to be excellence to the value of your neighborhood. i don’t mean if you’re in a low income area you don’t have to prepare or give your best, but that is the object.

what if an overhead projector is your best and not a megawatt video projector. you need to know your neighborhood. i know a church that went multi-site. when i attended the first service the video of the preaching looked like a super-8 movie from the 70’s. in the neighborhood where that ministry started, not excellent.

but a quote from the book, ‘We want to love people into God’s Kingdom. We are not here to impress them into God’s Kingdom.” this is true but a big BUT is “in your neighborhood what is the definition of excellence?” if you don’t know the answer to that question and someone arrives and they are underwhelmed by your presence will they even stay to be overwhelmed by God’s goodness?

tough question. better know the answer church planter. don’t scrimp on God, but don’t let excellence kill your efforts either.