Healthy congregations recognize that attempting to be a church that pleases everyone is not only impossible, it is antithetical to the gospel of Christ. Jesus began his ministry in the rugged wilderness doing battle with multiple temptations to veer off the agenda God had placed before him. Resisting the lure of temporal and public success, he chose the narrow path of obedience and faithfulness.

Let’s start with a disclaimer. Congregations and restaurants are not in the same business. Thinking like a restaurant can lead to embracing the consumer culture of the day. Catering to expectations has been the death knell of many faithful churches that forsook their divine mandate for a people-pleasing one. A recent restaurant experience, however, reminded me that there are significant lessons for God’s people to learn from multiple sources.

We were in Texas and hungry for some authentic Tex-Mex food. At the recommendation of a friend, we took a group to a large restaurant, and upon being seated looked around for a menu.

“We do not have a menu,” our waiter informed us. “We serve two things: fajitas and enchiladas. Which would you like?”

Playing devil’s advocate, I inquired: “I’d like a fish taco. Can I get one?”

With a genial smile, he replied: “There is another restaurant down the street that serves excellent tacos. I recommend it highly. Now, would you like fajitas or enchiladas?”

Properly instructed, I ordered and enjoyed a superb meal of chicken fajitas.

Around the table, we marveled at the clarity and focus of this restaurant, and began to make some simple applications to the life of the local church.

The most obvious is the gift that clarity of mission gives to any organization. While all restaurants are in the food business, no restaurant can serve every type or every style of food. None would dare try.

Instead, they focus on a specific cuisine and set out to do it extraordinarily well. Whether it’s Mexican, Italian, Chinese, French or Thai doesn’t really matter. What matters is the clarity and focus that enables them to channel their resources and deliver an excellent dining experience.

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