A Modern Parable about Mission
How Can We Serve You Today?
Two recent experiences point to some attitudes that might help us understand a congregation struggling in mission.
Both involve the food service business.
What is the common mission of all eateries?
To serve food that delights and that invites return visits.
Experience 1
It was the last shopping day before Christmas. Our family had already gathered for a visit with distant relatives. Before we split up again to visit other relatives we decided to take a little shopping trip together. Satisfied, we put our purchases in the trunk of the car and decided to visit the local yogurt store before heading different directions.
We navigated to the yogurt shop (part of a franchise), braving a good amount of mall traffic to do so. We parked and went to the door. The lights were on. Two uniformed workers were behind the counter. We tried the door. It was locked. We looked for posted hours. There were none. It was almost noon. Surely this was close to opening. We made brief eye contact. We just wanted to know if they were opening soon. But the employees busied themselves and did not look again toward the door.
Five immediate sales down the drain. Who knows how many potential sales!
Experience 2
Two of us were strolling the streets of a small town business district that was trying to revive. We stopped to peek in the window of a restaurant that had hours posted. It was their custom to close for a couple of hours between lunch and dinner. We were about 30 minutes early for their second seating. We enjoyed reading the menu and considered coming back. As we walked away, a waiter called after us. “We are not quite ready for our evening guests, but if you’d like to come in, we will seat you and bring you a glass of wine on the house.”
We turned back and enjoyed one of the best dining experiences we ever had. In fact, after nearly two hours of fine dining, during which the other tables gradually filled, the restaurant owner came out, greeted us, and answered our questions about their restaurant and the town.
Questions
Which of these understood their organization’s true mission?
Which operated as if the “boss” was watching?
How did one organization empower employees to feel able to stretch the rules?
What parallels can you find in how congregations and denominations conduct mission?