Other leaders told us that an attitude of excellence engenders an atmosphere of excitement, which in turn encourages church members to invite their friends. A Southern Baptist deacon in Georgia told us, “For over twenty years we would never see more than two or three visitors a week, even though we held an average attendance over three hundred during these years.” But those years, he said, preceded the arrival of Denzil T., the church’s current pastor. The deacon continued: “When Denzil came, he started emphasizing excellence in all things. In music, in our buildings, in our programs, in our grounds—you name it. He said that if we couldn’t do something excellent for God, then we shouldn’t do it at all.”
For the next several months, the attitude of excellence began to take hold in the church. The facilities started looking nicer. Someone volunteered to landscape the grounds. The musicians in the church became enthused about improving their ministries. This new attitude in turn excited the once struggling congregation. The deacon explained: “You know what I did for the first time in years? I invited my neighbor to church. I guess I was never really too excited about the church before now.”
Rainer, Thom S. (2009). Surprising Insights from the Unchurched and Proven Ways to Reach Them (Kindle Locations 2421-2430). Zondervan. Kindle Edition.
