Guest Post by Brian Jones
I thought since it was nearing Christmas I would remind us one of the greatest scenes in cinematic history where Flick got his tongue stuck to the flag pole in the movie A Christmas Story.
Flick: Are you kidding? Stick my tongue to that stupid pole? That’s dumb!
Schwartz: That’s ’cause you know it’ll stick!
Flick: You’re full of it!
Schwartz: Oh yeah?
Flick: Yeah!
Schwartz: Well I double-DOG-dare ya!
Ralphie as adult: [narrating] NOW it was serious. A double-dog-dare. What else was there but a “triple dare you”? And then, the coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.
Schwartz: I TRIPLE-dog-dare ya!
I am approached all the time by friends, neighbors, church members, and even staff members with the newest greatest idea for sports ministry. Things like a barbecue cookoff, scuba diving, and even a dog costume contest. Now, these are great ideas but sometimes these great ideas don’t fit into the ministry. And yet other times the idea might be okay and I’ll say to myself, “sounds good…maybe I’ll try it.”
So how do you know when to try new things or not?
I start by asking myself three basic questions that I hope can serve and help you, too, when put in a similar position:
1. Will it bring glory to God?
2. What is the outreach potential?
3. Do I have adequate support from others?
Along the way I have made some tough decisions on trying new things or shutting down old things. But thinking through these few questions almost always gives me enough clarity to move forward one way or the other.
I’d like to conclude with a quote frequently used by Randy Pope, the pastor of Perimeter Church in Duluth, GA. “Dare to attempt something so great for the Kingdom of God that it is doomed to failure, lest Christ be in it!”