If a thing is worth doing... it is worth doing badly! by Ben Pfahlert

 This was written by Ben Pfahlert of Ministry Training Strategy. I thought it was worth sharing here.

5 February, 2019

G. K. Chesterton once said, “If a thing is worth doing, it is worth doing badly".

That saying is shocking to our 21st Century ‘perfection infection' ears. What on earth did Chesterton mean by it?

Chesterton was a man who loved the generalist, and resisted the world's infatuation with the specialist. He was of the view that - it is better for an important job to be done in a mediocre way than for the job to not be done at all.

In MTS land, this saying has been very powerful. It has been applied in two ways:

1. Training: Learning takes time. MTS Apprentices will take time to grow in ministry competence e.g. if learning to preach God's Word in front of a congregation is worth doing, then you're probably going to do it badly for the first 10 - 20 attempts. That is OK.

2. Recruitment: Very few Christians are volunteering to be Overseers/Elders/Pastors so - if being a Pastor is a job worth doing, then it is better that it is done by someone who gets a competency score of 6 out of 10 than for it to not be done at all. Chesterton's saying has many, many applications in life.

• - I volunteer to make a salad once a month on my 5pm Church Dinner Roster. Everyone likes Cathrein Douglas' salads a lot more than mine. But if a salad is worth making then it is worth making badly. o I just combine iceberg lettuce, tomatoes, carrots and cucumber with Balsamic on the side. Better a plain salad than no salad at all.
• - Edmund volunteered to be a “Buddy" on Camp Jono (a camp for kids with disabilities) despite the fact he had no prior training. A “Buddy" looks after 1 of the campers and takes care of all their needs 24/7. If being a buddy to a disabled kid is worth doing* then it is worth doing badly.
  • * The benefits being:
    • - the child gets to go on an awesome fun camp that caters for their needs 
    • - the child gets to hear about the life saving work of Jesus Christ
    • - the child's parents get 5 days of respite, which is as rare as hens teeth

Our world finds Chesterton's saying anathema. Our world is literally getting sick from perfection infection. (Click on the articles below to see the negative physical and relational effects of perfectionism.)

When we focus on perfectionism we forget a very important fact. We forget that God is sovereign. We forget that God is powerful to work in us and through us by his Holy Spirit.
When Jeremiah was summoned by God, Jeremiah resisted saying: “I do not know how to speak; I am too young." (Jer 1:6)

Jeremiah thought, “If a job is worth doing, it is worth doing well". But the Lord rebukes him. Listen in to the Lord's response: 7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. 8 Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you," declares the LORD. (Jer 1:7-8) 

What makes Jeremiah equipped for the task? The Lord is WITH him. Also, the Lord is able to work in our listeners. So even if we may feel like we're doing a poor job of proclaiming the Scriptures, God can make our words seem like music in the ears of our hearers ... he has the power to do that.

If you are a Christian SRE teacher, a Kids Church Leader, a Pastor, a Youth Group Leader, an AFES Staffworker or an MTS Apprentice preaching in Long Bay Gaol each week … and you feel a bit insecure about your giftedness … remember Jeremiah; that God is with you. And remember G.K. Chesterton, that if a job is worth doing, it is worth doing badly.

Click here to read about the physical effects of perfectionism

Click here to read about the relational effects of perfectionism:

http://www.mts.com.au/blog/n/if-a-thing-is-worth-doing-it-is-worth-doing-badly-by-ben-pfahlert-190205