Four Great Questions!

In the introduction of The Externally Focused Quest, Eric Swanson and Rick Rusaw ask three great questions!  The first question is, "If your church were to close its doors, would anyone in the community notice - would anyone in the community care?"  I wonder what we would learn if we took a quick survey of the homes and businesses around our church to ask if the people were aware of our church and what their opinion of our church is.

The second and third questions are at odds with each other.  "How can we be the 'best church in our community?'" and "How can we be the best church for our community?"  Those two little words change our focus tremendously!  To be the best church in our community we find ourselves comparing our church with the churches around us.  It is easy to fall into this trap.  To think we are doing fairly well because at least we are "better off" than the church down the road.  To be the best church for the community puts our focus back on what God intended His Church to be.  We are to be salt and light not in competition, but in coordination with other Christians for our community. 

So, how do you measure success for your church?  Be careful!  How you answer that question will tell you if you are trying to be the best church in, or for, your community!