KevinChilds.com

We’re in Columbia “Sophomore-sitting” my 19-year-old for a couple of days as she recovers from a tonsillectomy.  To all of you who prayed for Evan, THANKS;  She’s doing great.   Sore as heck, grouchy, but great.

While navigating between hotel and surgery center and pharmacy and so forth, I notice things.  I think it is an occupational hazard.  In every new environment I find myself evaluating and analyzing the way folks in other venues do business.  And I do it to figure out how The ROCK can be more effective.  I’m constantly reminded that the details matter.  I think the complexity of our universe shows that God has an eye for detail too.  Some thoughts so far on this road trip:

• Unkempt landscaping and a few pieces of mismatched furniture at the Surgery Center left me unsettled.  I need to know that somebody who is anesthetizing and carving my baby girl takes care of every detail.  The church takes care of souls.  And souls are more important than tonsils. We need to send the strongest possible signals – even with the details – that we know what the heck we’re doing.
• Walgreens was immaculately landscaped, squeaky clean, and easy to navigate.  Part of their motivation may be because they are located almost next door to a Rite-Aid.  Competition pushes us to excellence.  Our competition isn’t other churches;  It is worldliness, and distractions, and sin, and the devil.
• Wireless internet at this hotel costs $10 a day.  The website didn’t say that.  Nobody told me that ’til I tried to log on.  I’m one of those people who doesn’t like being manipulated.  And I don’t like sneaky attempts to squeeze my billfold. Neither do church attenders … especially first-time ones who don’t know Jesus yet.
• The ladies at the hotel front desk have been overwhelmingly helpful and accommodating.  One even slipped a sorbet back to a freezer so Evan could have some later.   They are obviously committed to making our stay enjoyable.  What can church greeters, lobby hospitality folks, and ushers learn from that?
• In fact what can anybody reading this blog learn from observing what’s going on around you.  The ROCK is not a business soliciting customers.  I know that.  But our commitment to big vision and tiny detail ought to be outpacing any business.

GOD BLESS those who already know that, and are sold out to seeing that happen.