2:22AM WATCH WORD
I don't know a kingdom business I've been in that had a written commitment to FUN! as part of their core values.
Just read one tonight for a company I've been asked to do business with. Their statement of values? Literally: “Service, Integrity, Love” Their core beliefs? “The Bible, One God, Jesus is the Son” etc.
It left me feeling so dry and sterile. Almost all churches have this same problem. A vision statement and belief statement without intense exhilarating periods of FUN and triumphant celebration seems to be less than what's going on in heaven and what heaven wants replicated on earth. It's the book of Acts.
If the Kingdom of God is what Paul says, it is: “RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST” So how come JOY is not in the values or belief statements of most Christian organizations? Why do I know I would not want to work in the place where ‘integrity' and ‘service' and ‘love' is emphasized? Notice it is all ‘outward' focused? A sure sign of a potentially religious spirit. If my child works there I can assume his or her personal happiness is irrelevant to the company.
In this company it's all about energy going OUTWARD in integrity, service and love. Ughh. Would you want to grow up in a home that threw parties filled with integrity and service? (I like the love part) And yea, I believe in integrity but unhappy people don't make the most integrous people.
Ever get served by an unhappy waiter? Ever get in a cashier line, taxi or plane with an employee who is really unhappy or bored with you and their life? No joy? No fun? No service and love for you. No soup for you.
Joy – Passion – Fun is the key.
What is JOY? How about using a less spiritual word and saying ‘FUN?' Show me a children's birthday party that has joy but not fun? Are they really so inseparable?
And yes, I know the distinction between having spiritual joy and having fun. I realize you can have joy even when not in a happy situation. Like the disciples who were persecuted yet filled with joy – BUT your kingdom company or church fellowship is not beating up believers.
Your Christian workplace should be characterized by periods of intense exhilaration, exuberance, thrill and delight. People should be lining up to get into your company.
JOY is one third of the kingdom experience. Righteousness, peace and….. JOY.
It is defined as:
a feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
Synonyms: delight, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, happiness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy, rapture, thrill.
Antonyms: (opposite of) misery.
I am challenging myself to start to build the FUN
FACTOR into my work and FAMILY. If it's not JOY it's not JESUS.
If the company culture isn't upbeat it's creating a bad brand impression. Your culture is your brand. Your brand is what people experience. Starbucks has a consistent brand experience. So does Apple. And so does heaven.
Lance