Rent or Own?

Dan T. Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-a, posted on his blog this week about the importance of taking ownership and pride in the things in your life. He mentioned he heard someone say, “You know, no one washes a rental car. You have to own it to care that much…” What a true statement. I always thought that was the best part of renting a car. Someone else is responsible to clean it up and make sure that the maintenance is taken care of. I never check the sticker to see if the rental needs an oil change. I use it and then take it back.

What an interesting thought as it pertains to the church. Do you see the church as someone else’s or your own? I was visiting with a pastor friend of mine recently about training new church members. He said that he calls his class “Ownership Class”. He does not want just members but owners. Membership is what you have at a country club. Those types of people come into the church wanting to be served. They make a mess and expect someone else to clean it up. They are more concerned about being comfortable than helping others to feel comfortable. He is after owners. It is the owner who invests in the organization. It is the owner who cleans up after themselves and everyone else. The owner is invested in the overall success of the organization. May God bless us at Eastern Heights as we develop our membership to take ownership in the ministry of our church.