The apostle Paul wrote, “And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9-11 NKJV). Notice the word “excellent” (diapherō), which occurs 16 times in 13 verses (KJV), and it means “differ to one’s advantage from someone or something, be worth more than, be superior to” (BDAG 239). Thayer wrote of this term: “to test, prove, the things that differ, i.e. to distinguish between good and evil, lawful and unlawful.” The pursuit of excellence is not just a business slogan or a sports adage, but it is a call that every Christian must take seriously.
On occasion, I have heard my dad talk with men about becoming preachers. He would encourage them to pursue excellence by preparing for this responsibility. I recall a conversation with one man he thought would be a good candidate for the ministry. In the course of the conversation, Dad explained that much of the work of a Gospel preacher was significant hours of study and preparation for effective delivery. The man replied he did not like to read or study. Dad demurred, “Well, then you really should not be a Gospel preacher.” Why would Dad have said such? My father (and I) believed that Christ and His church deserve the absolute best, the pursuit of excellence, in all aspects. Some seem to think that the church should accept whatever we give as preachers, or that Christ should accept less than our best efforts as members. When we needed a Savior, the Father did not send anyone but the best, His beloved Son. God deserves our absolute best. In order to offer that to Him, we need to keep a few points in mind.
First, all works are important. Certainly, the messages delivered from the preaching pulpit, the teaching lectern or the writing desk are to be dedicated to excellence, but there are other areas as well. Consider the facilities. Our stewardship of the building and grounds reflects our pursuit of excellence. There are people who judge a congregation by the condition of the yard. Pursue excellence!
Second, use your talents for Christ and His church. Have you heard about the wife of a mechanic complaining that everyone else’s car runs great but her car? Why? We should use our knowledge, skills and abilities in the pursuit of excellence. I have heard professional teachers state they did not want to teach Bible class because they do it all day. Well, let me encourage teachers to pursue excellence for Christ! The same can be said of an accountant, manager, planner, etc. All these skills are needed for the Lord’s work.
Third, look for areas to serve in the worship services. Do not be one of those who have to be “drafted” into such service. Pursue excellence! If you do not know how to do a certain area of service, take the initiative and learn. Do not make the excuse that you cannot learn. I shake my head when I hear people say they cannot learn.
Fourth, one should not have to be begged to come to services. Do not be the type of person who needs constant prodding. Pursue excellence! Be there! Be early! Be encouraging!
Fifth, look for areas to serve outside the walls of the building that bring people to the building to worship. Christianity is a life lived. Pursue excellence!
Do not compare yourself to others in a limiting fashion, but do look to those who are pursuing excellence and follow their lead to do the same. The pursuit of excellence is not to be better than anyone else. No, the pursuit of excellence is to be a better Christian than you were the day before. The pursuit of excellence should be on every Christian’s mind. Does your mind think about how you can improve your Christian walk and talk to carry you through this life and into eternal life with the Lord? “Sliding by,” “getting by” or “letting someone else” are not pursuing excellence. Do not look for the bare minimum, but demand more of yourself. Does not Christ deserve excellence?
