Note: This is something I’m tossing around for a potential book intro. Please let me know what you think: If you’ve ever headed south on Hull Street as it slips away from Richmond, Virginia, you’ve seen the decaying buildings that press right up against the road—old banks turned into boutiques, boarded up hardware stores, and […]

The guy had no teeth on top. Sadly, I noticed that first. His cigarette dangled between gum and lip. While my wife jogged into Walgreens, this guy eschewed dozens of other open spaces to squeeze his red coupe beside our Prius. His window stuttered down, and a mud-and-oil stained mitt poked out of the window […]

I just finished another “must read” (in my opinion) secular/business book by Scott McKain entitled, “the collapse of distinction.” Needless to say, This book “rocked” my thought process.
Romans 12:2 “be Transformed by the renewing of your mind”
I find myself sleepless at night trying to “unpack” his business concerns and advise and push it into this church world i live in. Merging his content from the secular to the sacred is simple. Not sure if this “cat” knows Jesus, but he is being used by Him, whether he knows it or not!! haha

What i would love to do is give you all the stuff i highlghted or made notes on to review, but you may need to see something more than what i say. here’s the basic summary (from a church perspective):

There are 75 million other churches all around your church. All look the same. All act the same. Every time some church tries something new and succeeds, the other churches jump on it as well. I do not believe it is a sin to “Steal Ideas.” However, McKain’s concern is that in our efforts to stay relevant with what the area is asking for, we lose ourselves, and our identity. Iow’s, we do not have the “stones” to standout!! So like restaurants, all churches look the same, act the same, provide the same programs, and everything is just a better or worse version of what is down the street. So to determine where you attend, you find out how “cheap” can a potential new member attend. What will it cost them with their wallets and what kind of commitment are you asking of their time.

I took a portion of his introduction and adapted it to move it from secular to sacred.
“If you cannot find it within yourself to become emotional, committed, engaged, and yes, fervent about differentiation, then you had better be prepared to take your place among that vast throng of the complacent (and dying) churches whom judge their commitment to the Great Commission by their membership solely on the basis of legacy families. It is the singularly worst place to be in all of Christendom. If you aren’t willing to create distinction for yourself, your parishioners, and for your church body in your community, city, and region–then prepare to take your seat in the back, with the substantial swarm of the similar, where tedium and religious duty reign supreme.”
Does this sound like a book that would “rock” the church world? What about your local church?

funny: “the substantial swarm of the similar, where tedium and fake religion reign supreme.”
I could never qoute this to the students i pastor, but that’s intellectual, smart-butt putdowns right there!!

Anway, let me help you out with this book:
There are a couple things you have to do to “see” the church world in McKain’s Book:
1. When you see customers, say members.
2. When he hits you with a stat, think recent George Barna Stats about church
3. Play “Where’s Jesus?” (for those of you who are slow, it’s a play on “Where’s Waldo?”) For those of you who are slower, or have no children, Look for Biblically based principles.!!
4. When you see results in terms of Customer acquisition or retention (or the lack thereof), think kingdom souls being won to Christ and the back doors being closed that people leave out of without you knowing.
5. When you see results in terms of $ growth think, Tithes & Offerings to further the Kingdom.

Frankly, McKain could get some church research, say Jesus 100 times, call costumers, “members,” and talk less about $ gain (church ppl hate hearing about $. We NEED it, but we don’t want to read about it! haha), and he has a top 10 church growth book!!

Get the book ppl!!
Hope I helped, PG

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