Sharing Trade Secrets Or Sharing The Wealth?
Last month, Von Miller gathered some of the NFL’s elite sack specialists at Stanford University for what he called a “pass rush summit.” The participates were star defensive players from around the league, with several different teams represented. Addressing concerns that each man was sharing his trade secrets, Miller replied that it was more like sharing the wealth. He said, “A sack is a sack. I’m going to get sacks, they’re going to get sacks. You really can’t stop that. You really benefit more from really just sharing that knowledge and just trying to be the best players that you can possibly be."
God has endowed the Church with the mission of reaching the unreached, showing charity and compassion to the world, and helping to strengthen those already in Christ. We achieve this through various ministries, programs, and outreach efforts. Unlike the NFL, this is not a competition. We are all on the same team.
So, why not band together to more effectively reach the world for Christ? If NFL players can do it, why not God's people?
"But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice" (Philippians 1:18).
Does Your Church Really Care?
A church sign can be a captivating advertisement for the community. A small church in a community had on their sign, "We Really Care about our Community." Under that statement, it read, "Sunday, 11 am only."
We display our love for Christ and demonstrate His love through acts of service. Whether we teach in a children's program or get involved in a church outreach ministry or just make ourselves available to help a neighbor, there are countless ways to make a difference for Christ in our community. The church that only cares at 11:00 am on Sunday doesn't really care at all!
"If one of you says to them, "Go in peace; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?" (James 2:16).
A Winning Recipe
Just behind McDonald's, KFC is the second largest fast food restaurant chain in the world. But despite the franchise's tremendous success, KFC alters its "finger lickin' good" recipes--its traditional fried chicken, coleslaw, mashed potatoes and string beans menu items--to accommodate the localized taste buds of each region in the world. So much so, that many of these recreated menus would be unrecognizable to a KFC patron from Louisville, Kentucky, the original home of the popular fried chicken empire.
See link to source for info on menus from various countries
If every country has their own unique take on Colonel Sanders’ "finger lickin’ good" chicken, then it shouldn’t surprise us that every people group has their own unique take on the “Bread of Life.”
KFC’s example teaches us that even when you have a winning recipe, you still have to adjust it to fit the varied “tastes” of those you seek to serve.
How the message is delivered can make all the difference in how it’s received.
"To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).