Not going outside the limits of ability

Just cause you can doesn't mean that you should.

Check out this footage of Russan millionaire Vadim Kogay driving a Ferrari 458 GT3 at Monza.  Kogay has obviously paid his way into the race, buying himself a shiney bright green Ferrari and getting to race as the 'non-professional' driver in a proper GT3 endurance race.

But as you'll see in the footage the poor bloke has no idea.



One might have the money to buy the car, pay the entree fee and join the race, but that doesn't mean you always should if your skills aren't up to par.

I look at some church services and wonder the same thing.  If you don't have the musos, sound equipment and everything else you need for a big show, why try and run your service like a big show?  Last Sunday I had the weekend off and went to a church that ran their service brilliantly.  They had lights, they had great musicians, they were able to play songs in a way that incorporated different instruments playing lead and with different riffs and it all sounded very professional.  But it also felt very simply... you could tell they weren't stretching their abilities or their equipment, they were doing it within the environment of the church, for the glory of God.

Last year I got the chance to experience Passion City Church in Atlanta Georgia, which was a whole other level again - Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Kristian Stansfield leading services and Louie Giglio preaching, a stadium concert like sound and light system.  Yet it still felt completely God honouring as these Christians lead worship and services to the best of their ability (which in this case was world class).

But churches need to understand the limit of the 'best of their abilities', because sometimes I feel services are pushed beyond them and like our Russian millionaire, services sometimes find themselves stuck in a sand trap because the limit has been reached.

Yes we should do the best we possibly can, but we should understand what that is. We can't all be Passion City Church, we can't all even handle electric guitar solos or even full bands. In some places a small acoustic sound (almost camp fire like) can be done to a much better standard than striving to get a full band and light show. The church may even have the money for the equipment, but if the skills aren't there then just do the best you can with what you have.

That's the best way to honour God corporately I think.