I have had many GREAT cheesecakes in my past, and I have experienced many GREAT and not so great churches. Recently, while devouring one of these great cheesecakes, I was struck by the realization that we could solve many of the church’s problems with cheesecake philosophy. Not by buying or serving it, but by using what makes a cheesecake good to make our churches better.
The Perfect Cheesecake (and GREAT church):
Starts with a Solid Foundation
Without a solid foundation a cheesecake (or church) will crumble under the weight of supporting itself. Your cheesecake needs to have a firm foundation, just like your church. The church MUST be founded on Jesus Christ. All decisions start and stop on His leadership. Without a solid foundation, your cheesecake (church) is bound to fall apart.
Uses the Right Amount of the Right Ingredients
It’s not that you use the right ingredients, it’s that you use the right amounts of the right ingredients. You must use the proper amount of sugar, butter, and salt to bake a great cheesecake. Get those portion sizes wrong and you can have a disaster on your hands. Just like a church…if you get the amount of leaders, volunteers, and Staff improperly balanced, the consequences could be fatal. It’s not about one person over the other, it’s about everyone, working together, to do all that they can for sake of Jesus Christ.
Has a Dense Consistency (Community)
If your cheesecake doesn’t weigh more than it looks like it should, you may have a problem. If your church does not have a close (dense) community of growing believers, you DEFINITELY have a problem. Small groups are the lifeblood of the church. The Acts 2 church was a description of what a healthy small group looks and acts like. And in many senses, the small groups really ARE the church. Without them, you really only have a gathering of people on a Sunday morning. And just like a light a airy cheesecake, it won’t satisfy your hunger. You may as well scrap it, and start over!
Exceeds Expectations
If you love cheesecake (and I LOVE cheesecake), and you see the cheesecake that you are about to partake of, you get that feeling…that overwhelming sensation that something amazing is about to happen. You are about to be taken to a faraway place that exists only in dreams and in the taste buds of those lucky few who get to put their lips to such an amazing confectionery concoction. Think about it…when was the last time you were truly disappointed in a cheesecake? Now, think about this… When was the last time you were ever disappointed by the church? Churches are full of people, and people disappoint, but the church has a reputation for hurting and disappointing people. That needs to change. Churches need to over-deliver.
Leaves You Full and Satisfied
A great cheesecake experience should leave you with a feeling of accomplishment and a full stomach. When you serve, or gather in a small group, or help lead someone to accept Jesus Christ, or help someone in need, or pray with someone, or bring someone a cup of cold water, or just enjoy the love of God and His creation, you should feel the exact same way… Jesus said that He came to bring life so that we would have it to the full! That is the type of life that you should aspire to, and that Jesus died for. And like every great cheesecake, your life should leave you satisfied!
This post was made possible by the talents of Pam Fenoff. Thanks Pam for all the great cheesecakes and here is looking to many, many more.
Wow! I am not surprised that this is a great post, I’m just constantly amazed at what God does through you. Thanks. Love you guys
oh and THANKS PAM! LOVE THE CHEESECAKE!