Lessons from Restaurant Impossible

Okay, so possibly my new favorite show is "Restaurant Impossible." Chef Robert Irvine comes into failing restaurants to revitalize them. He has only 48 hours and 10,000.00 to turn the restaurant around.

He comes in and identifies the problems. He acts with an extreme sense of urgency and confronts all issues that are causing the failing culture.

The major issues, among many, are:
-The Menu
-The Customer Service
-The Decor/Design
-The Leadership/Management

As I was watching the show one night, I thought, "Wow, what if he did this for churches?" First off, 99% of failing churches wouldn't allow someone to confront these issues. However, here is what Restaurant Impossible has taught me about church "checklists:"

1. The Menu: Is your menu tasty? When a first time guest looks at your menu, do they see great food? How is your chef? Is it prepared professionally or thrown together?
-Grade your messages, worship experience and kids ministries. Would Irvine tell you, "This can't be served to human beings?"

2. The Customer Service: Are guests met by a cheerful hostess? Are the wait staff cordial and informative? Do they know the menu?
-For a church this is your guest services. Would you consider these front door folks cheerful and informative or lethargic and lackadaisical?

3. The Decor/Design: He brings in a design team and totally redoes the WHOLE restaurant. Does your church look up to date? Do you still have banners from the 80's? Is there trash and garbage piled up? Is media and lighting up to par? Still using cheesy clip art and boring lighting?

4. Leadership: Chef Irvine confronts the leadership. He sits down with the owner and management team to see if they are COMMITTED to lasting change. He lets them know how bad off they are. Are you committed to leading change? Will sustain the changes? Do really believe that you need to change?

Take time to grade your ministry. Yeh, and take time to watch Restaurant Impossible!!!