I’m obsessed with progress… and I know it.

If I did 8 reps at 100 lbs. yesterday, I want to do 9 reps at 110 lbs. tomorrow.

If we had x amount in retirement last year, I want x + x amount next year, with interest.

If I gave x% in tithes and offerings in 2006, I want to do x + y % in ‘07.

Obsessed with progress. I just am. Always have been. Always will be.

So it’s a real joy for me as a pastor to work with a staff (volunteer and paid) that understands this. I guess Elevation Church is pretty successful right now by most standards. And don’t get me wrong, I’m beyond grateful for what we’re doing. But there are 2300 people a month who move to the Charlotte area.

We’re barely making a dent. This creates a holy discontentment inside of me. Thankful for what God is done, while relentlessly pursuing what He wants to do next.

A lot of times, after celebrating something with a staff member (which should happen frequently), I’ll smile and tell them:

“Good job! Now let’s start working on how to do it better next time… “

I heard a story once about Dan Gable, the Babe Ruth of wrestling (not wrassling).

They say that after Dan Gable won an Olympic gold medal (no one even scored against him!) he went running.

Kind of psychotic, I know. But think about it: while everyone else was busy congratulating themselves or feeling sorry for themselves according to what they did or didn’t win, Gable started training for the next event. That’s why he was a winner in the first place.

I like Gable’s style. I know the danger of it, especially for a church. The danger is that we would miss the opportunities to thank and celebrate God because we’re already on to the next thing. Gotta be careful about this trap for sure.

However, the bigger danger is standing still and getting fat.

That’s why we embrace emergency at Elevation. Sometimes we even create emergency.

Because we’ve got to keep moving.

Got to.