Aquarium Keepers

Steven Furtick says he is asked quite often how Elevation Church has been able to see so many people come to Christ in just five years.  Here’s his answer:

Outside of the favor of God, I could give you a lot of specifics. Tell you a lot of things that we’ve done. But none of it will help you until you make a decision we made in the early days of our church.

And that was the decision to be more focused on the people we’re trying to reach than on the people we’re trying to keep. To be fishers of men, not justkeepers of the aquarium.

We’re not going to cater to the personal preferences of the few in our pursuit of the salvation of the many.

And that includes if the few is ten people when we’re pursuing one hundred.
Or 5,000 when we’re pursuing 10,000.
Or 10,000 when we’re pursuing 20,000.

Most people and churches aren’t willing to do that. They’re keepers of the aquarium. They say they want to reach people, but in reality they’re more focused on preservation than expansion. On keeping people rather than reaching them.

They let saved people dictate style. Saved people dictate focus. Saved people dictate vision.

What kind of church is yours?

Do the SAVED dictate your style, focus and vision?

If so… why?  Is it on purpose or just the way your church’s culture is?

Read more of Steven’s thoughts here…

Todd