Things I Learned at Disney World

A couple weeks ago Amanda & I spent a week at Disney World in Orlando. Since we don't have kids and we went in October the lines were shorter and we had more freedom to move around and move quickly from one thing so another without lots of brakes. I haven't been to Disney since I was really young so this was my first time to go and really be able to take it all in and remember things. We had such a fun time and I made a few observations about Disney that I think translate into church ministry. Now before anyone gets all riled up about me drawing any comparisons between the two let me be up front in saying the church shouldn't be an amusement park but I do think we can learn a lot from how they do things. Here are just a few observations I made that I hope to take with me when I, Lord willing, one day start a church.

1) the people there are so friendly and helpful. The first day there it was my birthday and so they gave me a button that told everyone I was celebrating my birthday at Disney. I got to tell you that we didn't pass one single employee that day that didn't say "Happy Birthday Chris". I know this may sound silly but someone you don't know smiling and welcoming you makes you feel good. What if the church was made up of people who really believed that showing an interest in a new face was important?

2) everything they do is well done. As we walked around and went on some of the kid rides I am blown away at how well and how much pride they obviously take in things being done well. At Disney you don't see trash on the ground, you don't see places that need paint work, you see the detail they put into creating the scenes of movies and stories. Everything they do is done well and people appreciate that. What if the church took as much pride as Disney in doing things well and making their facilities look clean and nice?

3) it is a fun place where people are happy. I remember commenting to Amanda one day that I haven't heard a single curse word the whole time we have been here and I can't even remember someone being visibly upset about something (other then little kids crying over something). Now I know that we as the church are called to talk about tough things and sometimes make you uncomfortable about your sin but what if the church was a place people really looked forward to going to and being a part of?

4) they make the kids experience memorable. It really was fun to see the faces of kids as Disney and know this was such a treat for them. It is also fun to watch parents and grandparents as the find pleasure in their kids loving their experience. What would the church give to have a Children's ministry that is so exciting and fun that they want to be there? How excited would the parents be if their kids wanted to be in church because it is fun and they are learning about Jesus?

5) it is a well run company. If you visit Disney you can't help but notice how well run it is from the moment you walk in. None of the other things could happen if it wasn't run well. The fact that the give you a free pass on your birthday or that prices aren't astronomical (I know they are high but not as bad as I thought they'd be or could be) is because they have a good plan and run a smart business. What is the church had a really good strategy for where they want to go in the future and how the finances play a part in that? What is churches didn't over reach trying to please everyone but instead stuck closely to their vision and goals?

Well these were a few of the things I picked up on at Disney but if you have some of your own I'd love to hear about them. Disney is truly a magical place and my hope is that we as the church can learn a few things so that Jesus is loved and is viewed as great as Walt Disney in peoples eyes.