Be the Best in the World

When we're kids we all think we are the best in the world at something.  What little boy doesn't dream of pitching in the bottom of the ninth in game seven of the world series?  Somewhere along the way, reality hits, and we realize that's probably not going to happen.

But here's the good news.  We can be the best in the world, at something.

First I need to define what I mean by “the world.” I don’t mean Earth. That’s far too large and hard to grasp. There will always someone who is better. However, I do mean your world. Your circle of influence. Your friends, family, and co-workers. You can be the best problem solver in your job. Sure, there are great problem solvers at the next place, but your circle doesn’t know them. They know you, and they come to you for answers. This is what it means to be the best in the world.*

To really answer this question you have to understand 2 things. The thing that you are the best in the world and everything else that you can’t. I love watching amateur competitions. I get really excited about things like The Olympics, American Ninja Warrior, and World’s Strongest Man. I like to envision myself in different sports and ask the question, “Can I ever do that?” Over time, I’ve realized that I will never run a 100 meter dash under 10 seconds. (I’m lucky if it’s under 20!). Since I’ve never been able to do a pull-up, Ninja Warrior is probably not going to happen, and let’s face it, I’ll probably never be able to pick up a 600 lb Atlas stone (nor want to!).

These are ridiculous examples, but here is my point. In order for us to be the best in the world, we have to know what we are the best at and what we aren’t. Once we discover that, a whole new world opens up to us and we are saved a lot of frustration and pain. In everything we do we have to take a hard-nosed look at what we can do and what we can’t do. Great organizations have done this and thrown all their eggs in one basket. They stopped doing the things that were distracting them and focused on what they do the best.

Let’s take this into the church dynamic. Every church has a mission. My church's is connecting to God and connecting to others. Northpoint Community Church‘s in Atlanta, Georgia is to create a church where unchurched people love to attend. These two statements seem different, but at their core, they are the same. You can trace them back to the Great Commission. In fact, almost any church’s mission can be traced back to that one commandment. We even list it as supporting scripture in when we introduce our mission in our membership classes.

What is different for every church is their vision. Every church has a specific vision that is unique to them. Something that only they can do. If you visit great churches, you might be surprised that the vision may not be written down anywhere. However, it is the DNA of the church. You can figure it out just by attending for a few weeks or asking some questions of the congregation. It is where the church is the best.

Unfortunately, struggling churches have too many visions. They split their passions on a wide variety of missions and identities. These “Jack of all trades, master of none” churches could find themselves with infighting, church splits, or worse, closing.

Great churches have one vision and stick to it, no matter what.

What can you be the best in the world at? Don’t be afraid to do some self -discovery. Spend some time to ask yourself some questions and really look at what you’re good at. Ask friends and family. They will probably have great insights. Once you’ve discovered your answer, dedicate yourself to doing that and only that. It becomes your vision and your passion. And it is contagious.

*HT to Seth Godin