You’re unlikely to see Gordon in your pulpit but is any of his wisdom transferrable to life in your church?
In a previous thought I reflected upon the encounter between Joseph and an unnamed man in Genesis 37. Although the man is not identified as a man of God in any way, God uses the words he speaks to redirect Joseph and keep him on the path that will eventually lead to Pharaoh and the means by which many, many people in the region will be saved from starvation during a seven year famine (Genesis 45 v. 4-8). Can God speak to us using the words of Gordon Ramsay?
Recently, I’ve been watching a lot of episodes of Gordon’s Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares TV series and I’ve noticed four common themes in the guidance Gordon gives to restauranteurs and their staff. The first two of those themes have to do with atmosphere and capacity and we considered them in previous thoughts. Today we are looking at the third of those themes – Distinctiveness.
How might that work out in a typical episode? Put simply, the question is, ‘What makes you stand out in your local community?’ What do people know you for? In most cases, failing restaurants either don’t stand out at all and are anonymous to the general public or are viewed negatively. In the first instance, that might lead to a radical change of style. You might be one of countless Italian restaurants in an area without any steakhouses. The question Gordon will then ask is about direction. Is it better to change direction in order to stand out locally?
In terms of negative perceptions, work usually takes place to replace the public’s negative perceptions with positive ones and that often includes having a distinctive signature dish that people will both associate with your restaurant and will come back for.
Our distinctiveness as churches shouldn’t come from pandering to the whims of the public. Our distinctiveness should always come through the Holy Spirit and the direction in which he wants to take us but that doesn’t mean that Gordon’s thoughts on distinctiveness are of no value to us.
When we look at our own area, what ministry activities are being offered by other local churches? What activities aren’t? As we make these observations does the Holy Spirit have anything to say to us about things we might set down or things we might take up? And what would you say if I asked you if your church has a ‘signature dish’? Is there anything sufficiently distinctive in what you do that will cause people to return because they associate it with you? Again, if nothing readily springs to mind, that might give rise to conversation and a prayerful look towards the Holy Spirit for prompting and guidance.
Prayer: Lord God, your Spirit speaks in so many different ways and in so many different voices. We want to live not by human wisdom but by your wisdom but sometimes the two can overlap. Help us to discern when your Spirit is speaking to us even when that comes from what might appear to be the unlikeliest of sources. Amen.