Excellence is one of the Core Values of Amplify. The others include God-Centered, Relevant Environments, Authentic Community, Character, Supernatural, Strategic Service, Intentional Apprenticeship (and somemore that we are in the process of articulating).Excellence is an attitude and not end product. The end product will naturally come when we choose to be excellent at what we do. Excellence is about giving the absolute best that we have, going the second mile, above and beyond what is expected of us. Excellence is maintaining onto a good attitude and coming up with our best inspite of whatever constraints that we are facing.
If I can boil Excellence down, its simply: "Be Bothered." Be bothered to just put in that extra effort, go that extra distance, make it neater, because it tell people what you value. Conversely, lack in excellence is simply "I can't be bothered" - and that communicates something as well.
God Values Excellence
More importantly, Excellence is a God idea. In Genesis, it was recorded that God created the world, created Man and Woman and saw that it was Good i.e. Excellent. If you were to read through Leviticus and Deuteronomy you will begin to see that God is deliberate and into the details. (read about the construction of the Ark of the Covenant) He is not tardy or slipshod in what He does, and in what He represents. I shared about 1 Kings 10 at Leaders Retreat, about Queen Sheba paying a visit to King Solomon. She came because she had heard about his wisdom and his excellence in representing the house of God. She saw that the magnificance and excellence of God through King Solomon and was converted to believe in the God of Israel.
"When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the LORD, she was overwhelmed." 1 King 4:5
One expression of excellence is to create distraction-free environments for people to experience God. The less shody and tardy we are, the more WOW! factor we give our seekers and attenders, the easier it will be to soften their heart to receive the Word of God.
Excellence Paves the Way
Great environments, neat arrangements, Perfect sounding music, nice lights, moving media do not change lives. Only the work of the Holy Spirit brings about spiritual and character transformation. BUT, by becoming less of a hinderance through removing distractions and providing a conducive environment, we partner the Holy Spirit and give Him space to bring about Heart Change. Think about it, how do you even begin to concentrate on worshipping if there is feedback going on, the lights are too bright, the lyrics are not flashed and you are made to stand for too long on your feet?
That Which Cost Us
We need to be like King David in his pursuit of God's heart. That is, we need to offer God only that which cost us something. (2 Sam 24:24) This is excellence - Offering God that which will cost us something. The better prepared we are, the better relaxed we are, the better we can hear God and what He wants us to do.
Bottomline, need always be grateful for all that God has given us. We need to remember that God is ultimately in control, that we are doing it for His Glory and Namesake. Everything He gives us is a blessing and given because of His Grace and not because we have earned it. And because it is given to us by His Grace, we need to be careful in stewarding it.
In that way, we always keep an open hand with what is entrusted to us and keep an obedient Heart towards God. And as we are faithful and reliable with the small things, God will entrust us with bigger things.
God Bless,
Cassilda
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