S.E.R.V.E.

For the past couple of days I have been in Cincinnati, Ohio for the first Call2All America congress. It has been pretty incredible.

Yesterday, I attended a session on the business track in which Larry Cox shared with us the leadership principles that Chick-Fil-A has utilized to build their organization in a way that honors God. Larry is the director of the WinShape Foundation, a foundation begun by Truett Cathy, Chick-Fil-A's founder, to "help shape winners."

He began by stating that everything in the company revolves around their purpose statement. This is prominently displayed on the plaque below so that anyone can read it as they enter their headquarters.



He then went on to say that they have used the acronym SERVE to describe their leadership culture:

S - See and Shape the future - there are three parts to vision: 1. Planning, 2. Decision Making, 3. Communication

E - Engage and develop others - Improves organization and let's them know they are valued

R - Reinvent continuously - Need to reinvent personally first

V - Value results AND relationships - Master the genius of AND - figure out how to get great results AND great relationships (In other words, have fun while working hard)

E - Embody the values - 1. Know your values, 2. Share your values, 3. Live your values

Truett Cathy has stated that he believes you can change lives by the way you treat people. He has certainly lived that out and his company has as well. It is no wonder they have been so blessed!

"Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant."

Matthew 20:26

Grace

What would you do if some kids came in and vandalized your house and you caught them? What if they threw eggs, sprayed fire extinguishers, left water running in the kitchen and wrote obscenities on your walls? What if you found out the damage was $30,000?

Truett Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A found himself in this very situation. Cathy is a strong Christian who made the news when he started his chain of restaurants because he refused to open his stores on Sundays. So how did he react?

He is not pressing charges and is agreeing with the punishment of the pre-teens reading a good book and writing "I will not vandalize other people's property" 1,000 times. Cathy said he did not want to prosecute the girls and leave them with a criminal record.

Now, that is grace in action.

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.

Ephesians 4:32

No Need for Separation of Church and Chicken

Rachel Brady writes about a man and a company I have deep respect for, Truett Cathy and Chick-fil-a:

Nearly every Sunday, I subconsciously sabotage myself into the misery of an unsatisfied craving for Chick-fil-a.

Since the dine-in Chick-fil-a opened on Patteson Drive last year, I've actually shown up in the empty parking lot. Twice. But I should have known better. Anyone who knows of the fast-food chain and its chickeny goodness also knows of its affiliation with the Christian faith.

Specifically, the corporation's mission statement pledges to ''glorify God by being a faithful steward of all that is entrusted to us and to have a positive influence on all who come in contact with Chick-fil-a.''

Founder S. Truett Cathy is a devout Southern Baptist, and so in accordance with his beliefs and the company's mission statement, all Chick-fil-a locations are closed on Sunday, the Christian Sabbath. Monday through Saturday, those who dine in get an earful of God's glory, as the restaurant always has Christian-themed pop-sounding music wafting on the breeze alongside the alluring smells of chicken and waffle fries.

Normally, when aspects of the Christian faith -- or any religion -- are thrust into my life without invitation, I get a little bit cranky.

I'm old enough and smart enough now that if I wanted to be converted to your religion, I'd have figured it out by now. So when a Jehovah's witness shows up on my doorstep, I politely turn down the offers for conversation/conversion. And when an old guy in a suit jacket tries to hand me a tiny Bible, I politely decline. All the while, I'm miffed that someone out there thinks they know just exactly ''what's missing'' in my life.

Somehow, though, Chick-fil-a has gotten it right. No one from the corporation is beating down any doors for converts, and they don't distribute printed materials about faith or damnation while you eat.

What they will actually do while you eat, though, is refill your drink, dump your tray or even just carry on a polite conversation.

The people of Chick-fil-a have taken an essential part of Christianity -- the Golden Rule of treating others as you would like to be treated -- and they've made it their mantra. And they're not preachy or pushy; they're just polite.

It's refreshing to see people who are most happy to display their religion by example rather than through radical, alienating evangelism.

Most people don't want to be approached by strangers about how they may be living their lives in sin.

Most people don't feel like divulging personal secrets and entrusting their spiritual lives to people they've never even met. Most of us just need to be permitted to live our lives and learn our own lessons. And some of us, along the way, want to eat some chicken.

So Chick-fil-a is, all-around, the purveyor of good news that all Christians should be. If you want a tasty chicken sandwich, there's no need to worry about choking down a lesson on moral values with it. Chick-fil-a exhibits its Christian values with its excellent service, and that's that.

The other things -- the ''no business on Sunday'' rule, the music and the occasional Veggie Tales kid's meal toy -- are mere peripherals which have no real effect on any consumer. The Christianity is offered, though unspoken, and there are no hard feelings if you leave it rather than take it.

If you've never experienced the service at Chick-fil-a, I urge you to do so. You'll find that everything you ask for is someone's pleasure to provide to you. The entire experience is simply delicious.

Here, have some chicken. Fries? My pleasure. Dipping sauce? Of course. How about some salvation through Jesus Christ? No? All right, well, have a nice day.

And you're on your way.

So when Sunday rolls around and I'm jonesin' for some chicken strips and waffle fries, I do my best to shrug the craving off. Each time I realize my Sunday craving just isn't meant to be satiated, I gain a little respect for the place, despite my empty stomach.