David Whiting Live

Generic Ketchup @ Pete's Diner - part 4

OK - this is my final post on "generic ketchup." You can catch all the previous posts here: (part 1, part 2, and part 3)

Here are four final applications:

• I think facilities are a big issue on the application of generic ketchup. At home, I don't notice dirty walls anymore unless we are painting a room - then every dirty wall needing paint stands out. I don't even notice that our 11year old carpet looks pretty bad in some places unless I intentionally look at it through the eyes of someone coming to buy our house. Churches need to look at their facilities through the eyes of those who are looking for a church to attend, serve in, give to, and have their children married in. Facilities matter.
• The leaders of a church need to be the ones who speak for the first-time guests because they likely won't give feedback - even if we ask for it. We need to look at our facilities through the eyes of visitors. We need to listen to our music - its excellence and how easy it is to learn through the perspective of those who are new. I want to make sure the preaching is challenging, understandable, and interesting - even if they disagree with what I say.
• There are some things that loyal customers are willing to overlook that a new customer may not be willing to overlook.  In church, this might be the lady with the really terrible vibrato in her voice that no one really enjoys listening to but she's been doing it for so long and it would hurt her feelings if we don't ask her to sing - so the regulars don't really mind it. Out of love, they let her keep singing, ten years beyond when she should have retired from solos. The impact of that on the new visitor who is not mature in Christ is not positive.
• Old and run down might work well for diners (my daughters prefer one in town), but I don't think it works well for churches. Diners have a nation-wide reputation for being old, run-down, but great prices and great food. Old, run-down yet effective diners are common. Ugly, smelly yet effective churches are not.

One final thought - just because something would make us more popular and make it more comfortable for new people doesn't mean we should do it. In no way am I espousing that theory. The Gospel will always offend. 75 minute services will be too long for most unbelievers. Me preaching for 45 minutes isn't affective with lost people unless God is drawing them. Speaking out about issues of biblical truth and morality will turn people away quickly. We are okay with all of those things. In no way am I applying generic ketchup to truth and the Gospel. But I think it should apply to almost everything else.

Finally, I appreciate those who have sent me notes pointing out some generic ketchups we still have at Northridge. All of them (three so far) have been great to think through! Thanks!

Generic Ketchup @ Pete's Diner - part 3

The last two days, I've talked about generic ketchup. You can read part one HERE and part two HERE.

Let me give some applications to church life:

• Here is the primarly application - excellence matters. We often say that excellence honors God and inspires people. I don't think that means you have to spend a lot of money to be excellent. It simply means that whatever we do - we need to do it well.
• We must look at our church facilities through the eyes of new people. At Northridge, we know that many who walk in our door for the first time are either non-believers, new believers, or immature believers. So the look of our facility matters. If they are turned off while checking out Northridge - let it be by the Gospel, not because the facility creeps them out a bit.
• We tell our new employees and new interns that they are very valuable to us in their first six months because they will see things that we don't notice anymore. They will ask, "Why do you do that?" And sadly, we never thought about how ineffective that was. And we try very hard to see everything through a new person's eyes, but once you are no longer new - it is really difficult to see it through new eyes.
• We need to try to get feedback from new people. They will help us see things we don't notice. We likely won't change some or many of them, but being aware of what is hard to swallow for a visitor is very important. For example, we choose to stand and sing for ten to twenty minutes straight every week. That is not visitor friendly, but at this point - for the sake of corporate worship, we do it. But we need to be aware of that tension.

A few more applications tomorrow...

Generic Ketchup @ Pete's Diner - part 2

Yesterday, I mentioned my thoughts on restaurants that serve generic ketchup. You can read that HERE.

Here are a few more thoughts I have on generic ketchup (while thinking of church applications):

• I noticed the regulars never notice generic ketchup. They are used to it. It doesn't bother them and they don't think it should bother new people either. 
• In fact, the management and owners are focused on pleasing the regulars rather than focusing on making the best impression on first-time customers. By doing so - they are all overlooking glaring problems.
• No one speaks for the first-time customer. If a regular doesn't like something, they will speak up. If a new customer to the restaurant doesn't like something, they won't say anything. They simply won't return. (This one happens in churches all the time!!)
• There are some things that loyal customers are willing to overlook that a new customer may not be willing to overlook.
• Even some positive, good changes will causes regular customers to complain, but the changes were helping new customers. Loyal customers may not like a new menu because they knew where everything was on the old one. Our family recently went to a restaurant to use a Groupon that was close to expiring. Apparently, a ton of other people were using it that night also - the restaurant was very busy! I'm sure regular customers were annoyed that on a week night there was a wait. But with 700 Groupons sold (what our server told us), I imagine that restaurant was introduced to many brand new customers. Regular customers don't want to be inconvenienced so that new customers can be attracted to the restaurant.
• Loyal customers tend to be blind to obvious faults that new people see immediately. That could be a smelly entryway (at our family's favorite diner), ripped cushions in the booths, plates and coffee cups that are so old, they look dirty even though they are perfectly clean, etc...
• Old and run down might work well for diners (my daughters prefer one in town), but I don't think it works well for churches. Diners have a nation-wide reputation for being old, run-down, but great prices and great food. Old, run-down yet effective diners are common. Ugly, smelly yet effective churches are not.

Tomorrow, I'll get specific as to what I think some primary applications are to generic ketchup.

In speaking of loyal customers. My friend, who took me to Pete's Diner, didn't want me to take a picture of it because he is so loyal.  I wanted to get the front of the restaurant - it displays the very point of some of my thoughts above, but he drove away too quickly. but I did manage to get the sign...

Generic Ketchup @ Pete's Diner - part 1

I went out of town Monday and met a great, old friend for breakfast on Tuesday. He took me to his favorite, local breakfast spot - Pete's Diner.

We drove up and it looked like a typical diner (not sure what that means to you, but to me it means old, not particularly "shiny" or clean, a bit run down). But that's ok... I wasn't turned off by the outside or inside look of the place - I've been to enough diners to know that doesn't necessarily reflect on the quality of food. But I did get turned off when I sat down and saw the generic ketchup.

When I see generic ketchup at a restaurant, I image this: If they are willing to save a penny per customer (two pennies at the most) by using generic ketchup and this is one of the most visible foods, then how are they saving money in the kitchen? And all of a sudden, I don't want to eat there anymore.

The worst is a restaurant here in my town that I used to go to for breakfast. Not only was it generic ketchup, but the labels were falling off the plastic, generic ketchup bottle. And you'd open the cap to pour out the ketchup and it was obvious that the dried on ketchup around the cap wasn't just a few hours or even days ago... It might be MONTHS old. In other words, not only were they using generic ketchup, but they were REFILLING the generic ketchup bottles. I avoid that local diner whenever possible (unless the person I'm meeting picks it).

And I don't avoid it because I hate generic ketchup. I'm not sure I can tell the difference. But it tells me something about the restaurant's priorities. And for the first time, while sitting there with my friend on Tuesday morning, the application to church hit me.

What messages are we sending to new people when we do things with less than excellence? What are the "generic ketchups" in our building (cheap things that we don't even notice anymore)? What message is being received by new people that we aren't intending to send, but we are clearly sending when we save a few bucks and put "generic ketchup" on the table?

I'm not sure if that is as clear when I write it as when I think it. More tomorrow...

I Hate Living in a Fallen World (bad news)

I received some very bad news this week. One of my very closest ministry friends, Patrick McGoldrick, has been diagnosed with ALS. I have learned more about ALS in the last couple of days than I knew in the last couple of decades. The current average life expectancy from diagnosis is two to five years - although 25% of those diagnosed live longer than five years.

Patrick and Dena have been important and influential friends in our lives. When I was a youth pastor, I had no closer youth pastor friend than Patrick. Twice a year we hung out together for a week at a time through our youth ministries. We even went on the same mission trip together with our students one year (2000). I grew up with Dena and our families were close friends - so she and I have known each other most of our lives. Patrick and Dena were also our primary influencers on our view of parenting. We watched them parent their first child and told each other, "I don't know what they are doing, but we are going to parent like that!" And we asked a lot of questions and they influenced us in a huge way. Although in recent years, we no longer see each other every year - Patrick is still a close, dear friend and my heart is breaking for him and Dena. and their two great kids!

I also find myself overwhelmed by how much I hate living in a fallen world. I hate that we live in a fallen world where disease comes to those who love God. I hate that we live in a fallen world where death separates families. I hate that sin doesn't just impact the sinner. Sin that entered the world through Adam impacts all of us. And it is painful that my friends, Patrick and Dena, are living such painful consequences of living in a fallen world.

I am experiencing a lot of sorrow this week over this news, but not as one with no hope. I have a great and eternal hope! And so do my friends Patrick & Dena! But this week... I'm just sad.

 

Thought on Accountability...

In light of tomorrow's sermon, I was thinking about some questions I came across month's ago that I think are important. Human beings (especially men), don't like accountability. But there are huge benefits to accountability done well. These questions make me think of some of the benefits:

• Who looks you in the eye and says, "given your skills, you could do better..."
• Who have you given the right to ask, "What would happen if you doubled the amount you donated?"
• Who would you listen to when they asked, "Could you set aside the fear and go for it?"
• Who would you hear when told, "I know you're holding back..."
• Who are you humble enough to respond well to when they say, "You handled that wrong and you need to apologize..."
• Who is willing to say you to, "Your approach isn't working. You need to try something else."?

It takes love and kindness and confidence to bring the truth to a friend you care about. If you're insulating yourself from these conversations, who benefits? Find that friend! It is worth the time you give to it and the money you spend over breakfast or coffee on a weekly basis.

Online Church - not the same

Today was the first Sunday I was away from Northridge since June. I'm on my annual study break. During my study break, I plan ahead for six to twelve months of series and individual sermons. This year, my primary goal is to be ready for the topics and passages I plan to teach through April (at least).If it goes really well, maybe I'll be ready through June with the topics.

I do this because it takes a huge amount of pressure off week-to-week. I'll explain it sometime...

Anyway, I don't like to miss Northridge Church. It just isn't the same being somewhere else. This morning I decided to visit two churches online. More and more churches are offering their service LIVE online.  I decided to visit two church services, and although I enjoyed them, I'm not a big fan of online church (practically or theologically).

I know that it is becoming more popular and my grandkids will probably tell me how old-fashioned I am and how I'm confusing preference and conviction (although Hebrew 10:25 seems pretty strong to me). I don't know how you can obey the command to "meet together" without "meeting together." But anyway, I definitely am not a fan of "online church" and I'm just sitting here missing my Northridge family.

I can't wait to get back to Ephesians next Sunday. 

And - I can't wait to watch the entire service online later this week. Although I certainly won't say that I "went" to church (here at the desk where I'm sitting). I will just watch what others experienced when they went to church. And by the way, I don't think the problem with online church is that you "watch" the sermon on a screen instead of "live" in the room.  I think the problem is - you can't BE the Church... alone.

What do you think? Is "watching" church online really church?

Two Things That Overwhelm Me...

For the last couple of days, I've been overwhelmed by two realities:

1. God's mercy and grace are SO great to me! I so badly deserve judgment - He gives me mercy. I deserve to try to "earn my way" and He gives me grace. This is no less true today than always, but I've been overwhelmed by it this week.
2. I am now a parent of three teenagers (Emily turned 13 on Tuesday). That is overwhelming to me. I have now been a parent for almost 17 years, and in 7 more years, I won't have any teenagers in my house. That is crazy! It sobers me - and frankly - it scares me. I am so blessed, but I need to be focused on what God has called me to do. I often remind myself - hundreds of people can pastor this church, but only one person can be a father to my children. I don't want to blow it.

Those two realities overwhelm me - and hopefully help me focus on enjoying God and pleasing Him.

 

"I have read and agree..." REALLY!?!?!

I was updating an app on my smartphone. It is an update for iTunes. Before uploading, it shows me a 62- page document. And I have to "agree" with this statement: "I have read and agree to the iTunes Store Terms & Conditions."

I certainly am willing to agree to them, but I have no intentions of reading 62 pages of legal jargon.

So - do you read those documents or download anyway? Is it compromising your integrity? How do you view such things?

 

Technology & the Church

I came across some statistics that surprise me, and make me wonder: "What implications does this have for the Church?"  Here are a few that I found most interesting:

• There are 5.3 billion mobile subscribers (that's 77% of the world population).
• Within 5 years mobile will overtake PC as the most popular way to get on the web.
• In 2011 over 85% of new handsets will be able to access the mobile web.
• $240 billion worth of bills will be paid by mobile phone (called m-payments) in 2011.
• M-payments are expected to reach over $1 trillion by 2015.

Some churches ignore technology (Amish); most are just a few decades behind; and some pay close attention yet aren't driven by technology. That is who we want to be.

I can think of several implications for the Church. What about you?