Frustration is having the best restaurant in town, everybody that comes loves the food but the very sad truth is that very few people come. The eventuality is; after some time the regulars come one day, only to find that the windows have been shuttered and the doors are locked and no one understands why such a Great place closed. It was such a lovely restaurant, nice people, great food but no business.

The greatest product is worthless if no one is buying. Products don't sell themselves, neither do restaurants, and neither it seems do ministries. I as a Pastor have one of two choices before me. Cook the food or Market the Restaurant. If I cook the food, if I spend my time, focus and energy before the Lord preparing the Word, sharpening the skills of the Chef, training under the Spirit and anointed men and women of God then the Word that is put forth on Thursdays, Wednesdays and Sundays will be 5 star... in a town filled with greasy spoons.

If however, I am pressed into spending the majority of my time Marketing, Promoting and Massaging the people, then we may generate a surge of business, potential regular patrons but if the food is sub par, average and ordinary then the locals are going to return to their familiar haunts. It's like the Carolina Cafe, (A favorite with the seasoned locals in our community) it has to serve the absolute worst food in town but people are conditioned to eat there. Their Dads ate there, there granddads took them there and they take their children there... who by the way absolutely hate the food but... 20 years from now they will take their children or grandkids there... not because the food is any good... because it's not! The reason they will force this atrocious eating establishment upon the next generation is because there is a memory there, a comfort and a connection to the past.

If something NEW is going to make and Impact it has to be Something Special! We, at Redemption Faith Center, have the beginnings of something that is, I believe, once in a lifetime for most communities.

Let me interweave a Sports analogy. What was the difference between the Dolphins teams of the 80’s and 90’s and that of the same era Broncos? Two super bowls! Why? Team! Miami had arguably the greatest Quarterback to ever put on a helmet in Dan Marino and Denver had John Elway. Each were drafted in the 84 draft, the greatest draft for quarterbacks in the history of the NFL. Both enjoyed great success and each compiled an impressive resume of great wins but nearing the end of their careers they were both still without a Super Bowl ring.

Dan had a couple of Great receivers early in his career in Duper and Clayton. While they were part of the TEAM Dan reached his one and only Super Bowl and lost to the 49ers and Joe Montana... and Jerry Rice, Tom Rathman, Randy Cross and Roger Criag... a Complete Team. Funny how many of us can remember the receivers, tight end, running back of the 49ers but most of us can't remember who played with Marino after Duper and Clayton were gone... well, me being a die hard fan I can come up with a few "obscure" names that would be good trivia material.

Elways Broncos, like the Dolphins, were the same type of group that struggled to get over the proverbial hump until the addition... the adding to a strong foundation that was John Elway, of Shannon Sharpe and Terrell Davis. Then, with a Team of Key Leaders in place Denver not only reached the Super Bowl they won it, twice, back to back. You see Elway wasn't enough. He was vital, he was even the undisputed cornerstone but he wasn't enough to accomplish the Vision. You see, no matter how great a quarterback he was, he was not a Leading Rusher, Leading Receiver or a Leading Blocker.

In very much the same fashion, no matter how anointed one person happens to be in the ministry God still insist, and the Mission or Objective demands a 5 Fold ministry TEAM! One Superstar doesn't ensure success nor does it make irrelevant the other positions. Jesus himself assembled a team and if He wasn't the Dan Marino of Spiritually then I don't who would be. He just had the good and Godly sense to surround himself with the likes of Bill Walsh (The Holy Spirit), Ronnie Lot (Peter), Roger Craig (James) and Jerry Rice (John)...

So what is the answer to Success? Specifically, what is the answer to the success of any ministry? There must be a team assembled that can build upon the foundation that has already been laid both good and bad. A group of Leaders who can both overcome the mistakes that have been made in our infancy and capitalize on the progress we have made through our dedication and commitment. Yet, it is through the assembling and empowering of a group of individuals; different in their calling, anointing and experiences but united in Purpose and committed, with like passion, to the vision that we will see fruition of God’s promise for this community!