HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

So for all of you (2) who have been wondering whether I was still alive or not.....

Anyway, just finished a pretty good book (The Starbucks Experience: 5 Principles for Turning Ordinary Into Extraordinary). Nothing from a spiritual sense, but a good one on leadership and the best coffee seller in the world.....Starbucks. OK, maybe not the best but def the biggest. Either way, its a pretty cool place to get some caffeine. Anyway, there is a lot the western church can learn from how Starbucks does business. Here are some brief thoughts on the Starbucks principles as stated in the book and what the church can learn:

• Principle #1: Make it your own
• WOW!!! There are a ton of churches, especially "contemporary" one's, that spend a ton of energy and resources trying to be the "latest and greatest" church down the street or across town or on the other side of the country. All churches are not supposed to look like North Point in Alpharetta and that's OK! Although I think NPCC ROCKS! It would be better and more lives would be transformed if churches spent more time actually doing and being the church GOD called them to be.
  
• Principle #2: Everything matters
• Everything matters when it comes to reaching those far from God. The sad truth is that many churches and Christians only focus on a few things, like the length of a guy's hair or the color of the carpet or buyin' a freakin' organ or telling everybody else how bad they've screwed up over and over and over..... What if the church spent more time finding out the needs of those far from God and then invested some time and energy in meeting those needs. Come to think of it, that's what that other guy did most of the time. You know.... Jesus.
• Principle #3: Surprise and delight
• One of the many things I like about the church I get to hang out at (Revolution Church) is that it is "like a box of chocolates"........sorry Forrest! You REALLY never know what you're gonna get! Stagnant churches tick me off! CAUTION: Don't do something in church just shock people or because that other church did it (see Principle #1). Do it to change lives! Oh, yeah.....and because God said so. :) Isn't God the author and giver of creativity? GET CREATIVE!!!!
  
• Principle #4: Embrace resistance
• From the book: "Don't mind criticism. If it is untrue, disregard it; if it is unfair, keep from irritation; if it is ignorant, smile; if it is justified, it is not criticism- learn from it." Author Unknown. Also from the book: "To work with resistance effectively, you must distinguish between people who want their concerns to be resolved and those who simply like to complain." Needless to say, churches, no matter what they look like or how they act meet resistance CONSTANTLY! The key is how do they respond to that resistance. Resistance, when recognized and handled appropriately, can prove to be a valuable tool for growth. Try this: The next time you face resistance, ask yourself, "What is the real issue and what is the truth to be learned?
• Principle #5: Leave your mark
• This whole chapter was about Starbucks and their involvement and investment in the communities that are in their sphere of influence. What can the church learn?
  Simply, serve someone other than yourself! While some churches do an amazing job at looking OUTSIDE of the walls, many have never seen outside of their walls. How sad!

I also just finished the book BLIND COURAGE by Bill Irwin. AMAZING!!!! He is the only person to have hiked the entire Appalachian Trail blind! He did it with his dog guide, Orient! Incredible story and I recommend it. They need to do a movie based on the book!

I'm trying to read more. Here are the books in my book que (not necessarily in the order I hope to read them):

• The Barbarian Way by Erwin McManus
• Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy (Christmas gift)
• CASH...the Autobiography by Johnny Cash (Christmas gift)
• First In, Last Out by John Salka
  
• The Heart of the Antarctic by Sir Ernest Shackleton (Christmas gift)

I'll post some thoughts as I complete books.

Peace!

SRR

sinbad