A few years ago, I was devastated to learn that the supermarkets stopped carrying an instant naan bread mix I found delicious.
You just added water, let the dough rise, and put it under the grill. Even I could do it. I was buying enough to contemplate starting a business. But the product was withdrawn, for it was not selling enough.
I was not a happy camper.
Was my business not valued? Isn't the job of the supermarket to supply what I needed?
Well, apparently not.
I am now able to reflect on the whole experience with slightly more objectivity. It is impossible for any supermarket to carry every product, and they have to cater for the majority. In the end they exist not to cater for my individual tastes, but to make profits for their shareholders. In this particular case, I was in a very small minority. My perceived need did not align with the very reason for their existence.
Individual wants v big picture
I am struck by the parallels between my experience of buying naan bread mix and how some people perceive church life.
The reason the church exists in this world is to make known the manifold wisdom of God (cf Ephesians 3:10). We have a strong imperative to be outward focussed. We are on a mission until Jesus returns when a rest beyond our wildest dreams awaits.
But too often in church life, there are those who struggle to grasp this big picture. Often they are a minority. Sometimes, they are just struggling to cope with change. Other times, the underlying issue is the grief at the way that relationships have necessarily changed as the church grows. And at other times, a change in their own personal circumstances just makes life difficult.
While we must love the straying sheep, too many churches are scared to make decisions and try new things for fear of the reaction of just one or two people. Generally the result is that these churches plateau and then decline.
Conversely, those who take the lesson from the supermarket, being clear about what they are trying to do and implementing it - those churches are so often the ones that are growing and reaching the lost.
And by the way, I had no option but to buy a bread maker, and find a naan bread maker recipe. And the truth is this: now the naan is better than ever!
What decisions have you been stalling on?
