CRUISE SHIP VS. BATTLESHIP
From the Outbox blog site:
“Is the church like a cruise ship whose mission and staff are focused on attracting people to its own programs and giving people a good time so that their consumer impulses are satisfied, their felt needs are cared for, and they believe that their money has been well spent? Or is the church an aircraft carrier whose mission and staff are focused toward equipping and empowering our people for their ministries every day in the world?”
On aircraft carriers there is a spirit of anticipation, readiness, and a communal life which is intensely supportive, but outwardly focused. The mission of an aircraft carrier is not to entertain but to equip—not to attract, but to deploy. Aircraft carriers evaluate success not by the number of people who come onboard, but rather the number of missions engaged. On an aircraft carrier people listen intently for the orders of the Commander in Chief, rather than sitting in the sun waiting for the next activity on the schedule.
