I encourage church leaders to begin by assessing what gifts they already have in their congregations. Every community of believers has at least a few people with artistic abilities. Do you have a cellist, a video director, a dancer/choreographer, an acoustic guitarist, a poet, a painter, or a small group of vocalists? Once you know where you are starting from, then you can build on that strength. Leverage those gifts and offer your congregation the very best you can with what you have, which is a great definition of excellence.

Today there are more resources than ever before for churches to share. Check out the options for items such as videos, drama scripts, and music charts that have been used effectively in other churches. Prayerfully discern if and how your team could adapt and use them. The kingdom wins when this wealth of original material is widely shared.

I have also observed that even the simplest things can be done with excellence, creativity, and authenticity. We don't require ...