Christian Excellence

Ted Engstrom
This article provided by the Engstrom Institute

Editor's Note: The systems we build in Christian organizations need to reflect excellence. Here are some thoughts on the topic by Dr. Ted Engstrom, who served as president and president emeritus of World Vision International and was former president of Youth for Christ International. This article with timeless wisdom is adapted from an issue of Christian Leadership Letter that Ted Engstrom along with Ed Dayton wrote during their time in leadership at World Vision.

In 1961 Johns Gardner, who was then head of the Carnegie Corporation and was subsequently to move on to prominent roles of leadership in the Department of HEW and Common Cause, wrote a book with the simple title, Excellence.

The book was subtitled, "Can We Be Equal and Excellent Too?" In this book, Gardner was attacking the idea that it is almost undemocratic to excel at something over your fellow man.

Gardner was on the right track. We need to excel. And yet, Christians also fall into this same trap of believing that no one should be better than someone else. We become uneasy with the idea of having the best, being the best, or doing that which is outstanding. In our thinking we all too often don't mind "excellence" if the Lord is given the credit: "The Lord has really blessed the ministry" or "The Lord really gave him great gifts." But we may become suspicious if someone is praised directly for doing an excellent job.

There are some very real tensions here, and they work themselves out in strange ways:

• I once visited a beautiful chapel on a new church campus. In contrast to three obviously expensive chandeliers was a hand-drawn Sunday School attendance chart taped on the foyer wall. They paid $1500 for the chandeliers, but the best they could do to communicate what was happening to people was a crude graph.
• Another time, World Vision was criticized for purchasing first quality plumbing for a new building, a long-term investment that has paid good dividends, but that seemed to some to be "too good."
• In contrast is the pride we exhibit when a Christian makes the "big time" in athletics or politics. For some reason, it's all right to praise man for excellence in the secular realm!

A Problem of Theology

Part of our problem is just defective theology. Most of us cannot live with the biblical (paradoxical) truth that God is doing it all—He is in all and through all, and the parallel, and just as completely incomprehensible, truth—man is the one who has not only been given complete responsibility for his actions, but is commanded to act. All of this is part of our tension in theology and life. We constantly struggle with the concept of operating a business and a ministry. They do not conflict; both are vital.

But we are called to excellence. And we are called to set standards of excellence for ourselves and all men. In Phil. 1:10, Paul prays that we "may have the ability to approve those things that are excellent."

"Be ye perfect as I am perfect" is the standard. But where to begin? Does a call to excellence mean a call to excellence in everything?

Colossians 3:17 admonishes us "and whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." No higher standard could be found. And yet most of us must admit that there are large segments of our life where this is not our experience. What's the answer? How do we as Christian leaders apply these criteria?

Let's start with some definitions:

Excellence is a measure. It demands definition. One of these trite replies of our day (when asked how we like something or how well something is going) is "Compared to what?" But excellence is like that. It assumes a standard.

And conversely, "excellence" assumes inferiority. It assumes there's a way of doing or being something that is

• Less than the best.
• Less than what it could be.
• Less than worthwhile.

Excellence assumes a goal, an objective. Excellence demands that we think beyond dreams, beyond concepts; that we think into reality—in terms of what we can be, what we should be.

Excellence assumes priorities. It not only has to do with doing one thing well, but is concerned with a choice between goals. There are some goals that are less worthy, less honoring to God, goals that fall short of all that God intends us to be. It is not that there is one right way for all men, but rather that a potential for excellence in some area lies in all men. We are called to live a life in which we need to do many things to live our life, but within which we are called to do some things with excellence. Certainly to excel in prayer. Perhaps to excel in one book of the Bible or to exercise one gift to its fullest potential. (Some of us have great gifts, but we are too lazy to unwrap them.)

Excellence is a process more than an achievement. Life is a process; management is a process. There are times in history when we can look at an individual or event and pronounce it excellent, but it is continually pressing on that marks the man dedicated to excellence.

"Brethren, I do not consider that I have made it my own; but one thing I do, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3:13-14

This leads us to our fifth point.

Excellence should be a style of life. Know yourself. What is your style? What can it be? People are tremendously different. They have different callings. Outgoing vs. introspective. Thinkers vs. does. Leaders vs. followers. Logical vs. intuitive. Teachers vs. learners.

Some are ahead of their time; some are behind. Some are musical geniuses, some are not. Some are great preachers, some are not. Some are conceivers of grand ideas; others are men of small detail.

But for each of us, excellence demands that we be true to the best that God has placed within us. Our style of life should be one of excellence. The Christian can adopt nothing less as his goal.

Excellence has to do with motivation. Excellence is not achieved easily. The first 80% of an excellent solution comes easy. The next 15% is hard. Only the highly motivated person reaches 100%. There is a joy in such achievement that is an all-to-rare experience for most of us. One of the mysteries of living is that the goal that is achieved easily brings little inner satisfaction or reward. Old victories will serve old age, but before I reach that I must forget what lies behind and press on to the high calling ahead.

Think big! Believe a big God! Remember that "God is greater!"

Excellence assumes accountability, either to our own inner standard or the standard of the group. Oh, how we Christians have so often missed that!

• Excellence is a measurement and assumes a standard of accountability. Yes or no. Make it or not.
• Excellence demands a goal, and that's sticking your neck out to others.
• Excellence demands priorities, and that's telling people what comes first in your life.
• Excellence is a process, and that means continually checking progress.
• Excellence has to do with style, and that means determining which gifts God has given you and how you should be responsible for those gifts.
• Excellence has to do with motivation, and that's what it's all about!

How Do We Respond to the Goal of Excellence?

1. Sort your goals. You can't do everything. You can't be everything. And that's all right!
2. Of those goals you believe you must push toward, decide which have top priority. Do these with excellence.
3. Decide who you are and what you are or, paradoxically, decide how God made you and what he wants you to be. Do that with excellence. It was said of Jesus, "Behold, he who does all things well." Can we ask less of ourselves?
4. As we seek Christian excellence, keep it in perspective. Some things are more excellent than others. Before Phil. 1:10, which was quoted earlier, Paul tells us how we will be able to judge that which is excellent:
   "And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, to the glory and praise of God."