Lately I’ve been reading the book Purple Cow by Seth Godin (buy the book on Amazon.com).  Ryan Frank is letting me borrow it now that he’s done reading it.  In case you missed his book review on it earlier, it’s all about being remarkable.

Several years back, Apple (maker of the iPhone!  Evan is accepting donations to purchase his own.  ;)) ran an ad campaign called Think Different. The ad follows:

The ad is all about just being crazy enough to change things.  Now, normally, reading a business marketing book followed by a heavy dose of Bible reading may not be considered normal, but that’s what I did last night.  I was reading 1 Corinthians 3:18-23 for my nightly devotions.  Here’s what that passage says (ESV):

“Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” and again, “The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future–all are yours, and you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.”

I thought of this in connection with ministry.  Maybe, just maybe, it would pay off if for a day, week, or even month, we threw out all that we know about ministry.  Throw out all conventional wisdom and ideas that we normally think are great, and really look at things through God’s eyes.One of the things that never ceases to amaze me is how the simple things still fascinate kids.  In our ministry, our kids in our first Sunday morning service absolutely love the game Simon Says.  They beg us all the time to play it.  Now if we played it week after week after week after week, they would get sick of it.  But such a simple game still fascinates them.

What I’m not trying to imply is that new things in ministry aren’t useful.  In fact, they are vital.  Adding new media and new games and new ideas is extremely important.  But kids are also still amazed by the little things.  I will admit, I am an obsessive freak when it comes to design.  If it costs me more to get something that is prettier, I’ll do it, if I don’t have to sacrifice much functionality.  Many times this leads me to obsess over designing slides and such for events like VBS and Camp.  But many times afterward I do wonder, “Do the kids care if my slides look like a pro made them or if a beginner made them?  Do they notice?”  I still enjoy doing my best.  As Ryan could tell you, sometimes I obsess too much (ask him about the time it takes me to pick out a stock photo for a project). I enjoy doing my best.

So the point of this rather lengthy rant is this: look at things as if God were doing them.  Throw away what the world tells you, and focus solely on that which matters in eternity.  Sometimes the things which are most worthy of being remarked upon are those things which bring results, not the pretty ones.   If I was given the choice between going to a ministry that had amazing graphic design, amazing media setups, amazing classrooms, tons of volunteers, but no real results; or going to a ministry with no computers, no graphic design, tiny classrooms, few volunteers, but kids were coming to the Lord, I would unequivocally have to say that I would choose the latter.  Because what matters is not the looks, but the hearts and souls of kids.  And that’s how I’m thinking different.