There have been many men and women in my life that have mentored, inspired, encouraged, and guided me on the right track, and I am grateful to God for each one. Some I have written about as Irvin Schanie and Dick White along with Jerry Douglas, and others in my teen years. Throughout my adult life in ministry as Terry Herald, Barbara Wooden and her husband Gary, Jerry Atkins, and so many others who have poured into me over the years. And there have been many others, peers who have been used by God to sharpen me as iron sharpens iron. I could not begin to name all those God has used – the ones that I know of. I am grateful to God for each one.

As I sat pondering these men and women today, my thoughts turned to who is thankful for me this holiday season? Not in a prideful way, but whose life has God placed me in with the intention that I would pour into those men and women as I have been poured into. Have I been faithful in mentoring, inspiring, and encouraging others as God desires?

I truly believe and try to live with the concept that our greatest endeavor in life should be to do for others, to encourage and to pour into people all around us in all walks of life. I know my greatest satisfaction comes in Christ. Beyond that I know my greatest satisfaction comes in serving, pouring into other people. I often share that I write and accept speaking engagements because, “Whatever God has given me, He has given me not to hoard, but to give away.”

For those of you who after reading that last statement, are thinking to write and ask for money I’ll say as the Apostle Peter said to the lame beggar in Acts 3:6, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you:”

God has blessed each one of us with gifts, experiences, talents, abilities, and passions that he intends for us to pass on to others. We are not to force our opinions or “our way” of doing things on others. We are to generously and as a father or mother lovingly guides their children, we are to do for others and pour into them as each person needs.

We are to pour into others without expecting anything in return. This is where true satisfaction comes into our life. This is where you will find and fulfill your God-designed purpose. If you are not daily pouring into someone else without any intent of self-gain, you are missing the mark God has created you for.

This Thanksgiving season as I reflect on who God has placed in my life over the years since childhood, I am grateful for each one – even the ones He used that I did not even know about. Some of you reading this are included in that category. Likewise, not for my sake but for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, I pray that somewhere around the globe there are others who are grateful for God placing me in their lives. Who might be thanking God this week for the lessons He poured into their life through you?

Will you commit today to being intentional about pouring into others without expecting anything in return?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

I can’t say that I’ve ever met anyone who would leave on vacation without some planning. Do you know of anyone who would load the car, jump in and take off driving without some sense of where they wanted to go? Of course not. There has to be some planning before heading out. Even without a clear destination, the direction you’re heading will determine the type of clothing you pack. Likewise, you normally have some type of roadmap, be it paper or electronic, something to assist you in moving forward in the correct direction.

Have you ever read of a successful business that never had a business plan – a roadmap of where they were taking the business? No, success is like a vacation, a process and requires planning and preparation. In business as in a vacation, there has to be some planning before heading out. You need a roadmap with your beginning point and your intended destination.

Is it possible many churches today have disregarded their roadmap? Churches wandering through the course of life’s streets without understanding their current reality and without a plan to reach their destination are indeed wandering as lost strangers in an unknown city without any roadmap.

We must admit many churches are likely using a roadmap of memories. Have you ever revisited a place you first visited as a child, only to find everything has changed? You make a left turn because you remember the good times at a certain location, only to find nothing resembles your memory. Streets are not the same. Buildings are completely different. Nothing is as you remember it. Yet, you keep driving, looking for something that looks familiar.

This is truly what is happening in many churches today. As Lyle Schaller once wrote, “Congregations that are simply drifting in a goalless manner into the future do not find it useful to identify either their destination nor their beginning point called contemporary reality.”

Before you can head toward your destination, you must first understand your current reality. Where are you truly at right now? It is easy to point out the things as we envision them. However, like the traveler going back to a childhood scene, your current reality may not be as clear as you recall it. In Reaching the Summit, the book and the process, churches are asked to go through A Vigorous Face to Face Summit with Reality. This is a look at the true reality of the church’s present condition in connection with the Great Commission and other New Testament scriptures.

Every evangelical New Testament church should understand her destination is to fulfill the Great Commission. With that end in mind, we must strive to gain an understanding of our true current reality. After wrestling with gaining God’s perspective on our true current reality, a church can now begin mapping out a course of action – the trip you will be taking in fulfilling the Great Commission according to God’s plan. Each person connected to a church has a role to play and every person has an active part of God’s plan for his/her church.

What does your church’s roadmap look like? Are you active in helping your church reach its God-given destination? After reading this article, what should your prayer include?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

What is the habit loop? A habit consists of three parts; a cue, a routine action, and a reward. According to Charles Duhigg in The Power of Habit, the cue is a trigger that tells the brain to go into automatic mode following a learned routine. The routine is a physical, mental, or emotional behavior that follows the cue. The reward is a recurring positive stimulus that tells the brain this routine is good and to be remembered, like eating a doughnut. The next time the cue is introduced, you will follow the same routine desiring a similar reward.

In the first decade and a half of the 20^th century good dental hygiene in America was almost non-existent. It is said the greatest detriment of our military in World War I was not the enemy but tooth decay and oral infections. In fact, the federal government declared the deficient state of dental hygiene to be a national security risk.

This began to change when a persistent inventor & salesman convinced Claude Hopkins to invest his outstanding marketing skills behind a product called pepsodent, a paste for brushing teeth for better dental hygiene. Hopkins had been the mastermind behind Quaker Oats and other now famous products such as Goodyear.

Hopkins was perhaps genius at targeting the habit loop of Americans by finding a trigger or cue then introducing them to a new or different routine – using his product and delivering a positive reward. This reward would instruct the brain that this routine was something needed regularly. “Quaker Oatmeal would give 24 hours of energy – if you take a bowl every morning.” People ate it, they felt better, so this became a habit every morning. Sales for Quaker Oats skyrocketed.

His ads for pepsodent asked you to run your tongue across your teeth. “Feel that film? Pepsodent will clean that film and give you whiter teeth.” Other toothpaste manufacturers had tried many tactics, to no avail. What made the difference? Pepsodent ingredients included a citric acid and other ingredients that left a tingling sensation in the mouth.

This sensation, still to this day, represents in our minds a fresh clean mouth and good dental hygiene. The difference was Hopkins keyed a trigger, rubbing the tongue along the teeth, and a reward at the end of the suggested routine. Other toothpastes left no reward. In less than ten years Americans rose from less than 7% brushing their teeth daily to over 65%. Pepsodent became the number one selling toothpaste for nearly forty years. That’s changing the habit loop. Now, all toothpastes leave a similar tingling taste.

If you want a more effective life or organization, change the habit loop. Most every action we do daily is based on habit. You do not think of your morning routine; you just do it. You do not look at a map to go to the grocery store, you get in your car and drive. Your day follows a regimen of habits. Why is it when you pass by a familiar bowl of candy that you side step and indulge in a piece or two? It is the habit loop.

Understanding how habits work helps you control certain areas of your life and can assist leaders in affecting the habit loops of their organization. (By the way, I know you brushed your tongue along your upper front teeth as you read that statement above)

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

This article was first posted April 2019.

The team was at a standstill. Ted and Jo Ellen, two members of the team were ready to charge ahead with a decision that the other three members were not ready to make. Fred and Jonathon held a totally opposite position on the decision to be made. Sam, the remaining member just wasn’t sure. Sam could see both points of view, but was cautiously leery of leading the organization down either path.

Have you ever been in a situation like this? Perhaps your organization is at a pivotal point in its life. One decision would be risky and could turn out to be very costly to the organization, and not only financially. It could bring the organization to its knees, to the breaking point. The other option appears to have no risks. No changes required. It leads the organization down a seemingly safe, secure path. The major downside to this decision would be almost certain no growth, a status quo path which could lead to the organization’s demise.

These situations can be overwhelmingly difficult. Yet, there are three questions that can be used in any decision making circumstance, that if answered genuinely, will lead you to the right decision for you (or your organization) at the specific time needed. These same three questions can be used in your personal life, on a particular team you serve, or an entire large corporation or church of any size.

These three Questions that can be used in any decision making circumstance when asked in this order are;

1. If we (I) proceed with this decision, what is the absolute best outcome we can expect?
2. If we (I) proceed with his decision, what is the absolute worst outcome that could happen?
3. Are we (Am I) willing to (can we afford to) live with the outcome of number 2?

Question one asks for the absolute best outcome. The absolute best: We see phenomenal growth far exceeding our expectations. That is truly the best outcome for any organization.

Question two asks the antithesis of the first question. If we make this decision what is the absolute worst outcome? We go bankrupt and close the doors on the organization. (Not all decisions will bankrupt an organization, this is used here for demonstration purposes only)

Another analogy would be going on a diet. The best outcome, I lose weight, feel better and avoid certain diseases later in life. The worst outcome, continue to feel worn out, overweight, and sluggish.

Once these two questions are genuinely answered we must ask ourselves (whether it is a personal decision or a team/organizational decision) the third question. First, realize there is no need to ask if we can live with the results of the first question, because it is the absolute best outcome. Certainly, we can live with the best outcome.

Therefore, question number three is asked in regard to our answer to question two. Can we afford to and are we willing to live with the results to question number two? Are we willing to risk bankrupting the organization? Believe it or not there are times when the answer to this would be “Yes!”

Many individuals, churches, and other business organizations are fearful of asking question number three. Instead, they retreat and try to find another way out of this decision-making process. Usually to the demise of any real forward movement.

What decision needs to be made in your life (organization)? Are you willing to put these three to the test?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Looking for a church home in their new community Bill and Jane turned into the parking lot of First Community church. Bill noticed immediately the worn shingles on the roof. Bill was no expert but he knew the church roof needed attention. Jane on the other hand thought to herself, “The hedges have not been recently trimmed, and those flower beds out front were once likely beautifully adorned with color.” As they neared the building Bill noticed the grass growing through all the cracks in the well-worn parking lot.

Not seeing any signs for which entrance to use, Bill assumed, “It must be over there, where most of the cars are parked.” Unfortunately, there were no parking spots in that area, so Bill drove around to a side lot with faded lines. Bill pulled into a spot beside two other cars assuming this must be the way the lines are supposed to run.

Jane unfastened the car seat and lifted Tracy, their youngest out and onto her left hip with purse and diaper bag on her right shoulder. Bill meanwhile lifted Jenny in his right arm and taking Tommy by the hand tucking his and Jane’s Bible under his arm and as a family they made the trek around the building and into the door they assumed to be the main entrance. Once inside, both Bill and Jane began looking for signage or any indication to where the nursery or the sanctuary were located. There was nothing to indicate either. After a couple minutes pondering, Bill turns to his right and says, “Come on we’ll find it or someone who can help us.”

Have Bill and Jane been to your church? We think our church is guest friendly, but is it? We believe so because we know where everything is. But newcomers do not. In too many of our churches we assume too much on behalf of people who have never been to our facility. We walk right past what I call concrete pigs, blemishes, broken tiles, bad outside appearances, without ever noticing them. They become obscure to church members, yet they are blaring sirens to newcomers.

Here are a few questions to critically ask as a church:

1, What is the first thing a first-time guest sees when turning into your church drive? (bad looking roof well-worn parking lot)

2, Is the curb appeal positive or lacking? (flower beds, shrubs)

3, Is there signage guiding guests to preferred parking areas for easy entry? (close parking for guests or families with young children, faded or no lines in the parking areas)

4, Once inside are there smiling, courteous, happy people looking to assist newcomers? (what about in the parking lot to help mothers of young children?)

5, Is there adequate signage to assist people in getting acclimated with the building, restrooms, preschool and children’s areas, worship center, fellowship hall, etc.?

6, Is someone assigned to guide newcomers to the various areas marking floor maps so parents can remember where to pick up their children after services?

7, What is the condition of the most used restrooms near the worship center?

I could probably write at least twenty more questions to ask as a church about being truly welcoming to guests. It only takes a newcomer three minutes to make up his/her mind about the true friendliness and consideration for new people of your church. What does the first three minutes on your property tell newcomers? What are you telling guests about your church the first three minutes they enter your facility? Will you take time this week and join others in your church to take an objective look around your church from the eyes of a newcomer?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

One weekend evening recently, I received a voice message on my cell phone. It was a good friend, Kevin, whom I have written about before. In His message Kevin slowly said, “Alright, so I’m sitting here at a campfire up in Indiana with…” he then proceeded to name the last names of couples I remembered from a church I served years ago. Afterwards Kevin said, “…But there is about thirty of us here with all of our kids and grandkids and I’m thinking all these people are here because you asked me to teach.” After a pause he continued, but with a dampness in his voice. He later told me that he intended to leave a longer message, but his emotions overwhelmed him.

What started as a class of five or six young married people when Kevin began teaching, launched into young couples living life together. It started nearly thirty years ago. Their children grew up together and now their grandkids are reaping the benefits. Once a year they go camping for a weekend. This was where Kevin called me from a few weeks ago. I have to admit I got a little emotional as well.

Using misguided barometers and practices inside our churches has sent many churches into the decline spiral over the past few decades. For years church leaders blamed the baby-boomer generation for this exodus from the church, yet it was much due to our very own practices. So how has this group of thirty plus people stayed close for so many years? What made the difference?

Let’s briefly assess the impact that the church’s misguided barometers of evidences of learning might have had on this exodus. It will also assist us in answering the question of the lack of return of some post-covid. If it is true that human nature wants and needs acceptance and relationships, why in the church are we losing ninety percent of our teenagers at the age of eighteen? Acceptance and relationships are encouraged through the church’s activities and the Bible teaches this through God’s love, right?

Something that God intended to happen through the local church must be missing. Stronger or more relevant relationships are being built outside the church especially in the lives of teenagers and young adults. Could it be that our misguided understanding of evidences of learning has played a part in this scenario?

When asked why they do not attend church or Bible study classes (Sunday School), many adults respond, “I have been there before.” Their report is, “It is boring.” It may be boring because they are not being taught in an environment of acceptance. Learning is exciting! If true learning is taking place, life change is happening, and learning is being evidenced in people’s lives. When this happens, people will return for more and they will be sharing their experiences with others.

This is what happened in this group of young adults that grew from a group of six to – I’m not sure if anyone knows the true number. As each one entered, he/she was genuinely accepted. Relationships grew organically and intentionally. Learning was exciting and lived out with one another. They longed to be together, they walked life’s journey together, they studied, prayed, laughed, and cried together. They grew spiritually together. Almost thirty years later, the evidences of learning are still projecting in their lives.

What will you do this week to increase the acceptance and relationship building for true evidences of learning and spiritual growth?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

One of the misguided barometers in the church today is, “We are giving them good doses of God’s word each week. Why they’re not learning, is their own fault.” The questions we need to be asking are, “Can they use what we are giving?” or “Are we really giving them anything practical that they can use in their walk with God?” Most of us would say yes, because that is our perspective.

If I give you a diet of only Miracle Grow plant food and that is all you take into your body, will you remain healthy? Will you grow? After all it is Miracle “Grow”. No, of course you will not remain healthy. God has created our physical bodies to grow and sustain on a steady diet. If we take the majority of those elements away from our diet, our body will begin to send up warning signals. If we continue to ignore our body, it will begin to shut down, little by little our health will deteriorate.

The same is true with our spiritual being. We need a healthy, steady diet to grow and sustain our spiritual being. Unfortunately, the steady diet many Christians are getting across North America is not the one God has prescribed. An old saying I remember hearing growing up in Kentucky regarding some preachers and speakers is “All the meat and no potatoes!” Basically, this meant the speaker had all the substance without any sustenance. Substance is necessary, but it does not produce any evidence of learning.

Evidence of learning cannot be found in the lives of many Christians because they are not receiving the sustenance which brings about life change. The greatest evidence of learning (spiritually speaking) is life change. Substance will never produce life change. It can produce great trivia buffs, yet that is not our objective. In many churches I’m afraid we’re serving up all the meat and no potatoes.

In the Christian realm, have we forgotten the need for balanced spiritual nutrition? We must use context for the depiction of God’s truth’s and principles. However, we must also have an earnest portion of application. Only application will bring about evidences of life change. We’re always looking for “spiritual maturity” in others. But, are we looking in the wrong places? One writer said we are using misguided barometers.

When looking for spiritual mature Christians we look at criteria as: Attendance, How many jobs in the church do they already have, tenure of membership, and do they attend Bible study. While each of these could be considered as descent criteria, not one of these demonstrates evidence of learning.

True evidence of learning is the outward manifestation of learned principles and truths. A modification of our beliefs (core values) brings about a behavioral change. Behavioral change is an evidence of true learning. It is an outward manifestation of an applied adjustment to our core values.

Jesus’ sermons and teaching consisted of more application than context, because people need to know how to put into practice God’s principles and truths. What will you change today in your delivery and conversational practices to enable people to a true learning experience that will manifest in their actions? When you hear an evidence of true learning confer recognition for it. Make it known publicly.

This is adapted from portions of chapter six, Evidences of Learning, Teaching That Bears Fruit. Guardian Publishing, George L. Yates

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Folk lore shares, An old wise man would sit outside his village under a shade tree every day thinking and sharing with anyone who might stop by to talk with him. One day a traveler stopped by and said, “Old man I have been traveling a long way, visited many villages, and met many people. Can you tell me what kind of people I will meet in your village?”

“Certainly,” said the old man. “But first tell me what kind of people you have met on your journey so far.”

“You wouldn’t believe it. I have met some of the most awful people. People who are selfish, rude to strangers. People who don’t care for themselves or others. I’ve met foolish young people who could teach me nothing and old people whose lack of hope depresses everyone.”

As the traveler spoke a look of sadness grew in the wise man’s eyes as he listened. “Yes, I believe I know exactly the kind of people you speak of. And I’m sorry to tell you, if you go into my village, that’s exactly the kind of people you’ll meet.”

“I knew it,” the traveler scoffed. “It’s always the same.” He kicked the dirt under his feet and wandered off without going into the village.

Later that day another traveler stopped by and asked the old wise man the same question. “Kind sir, I’ve traveled far and met a lot of people. Can you tell me what kind of people I will meet if I go into your village?”

“Yes, I’d be happy to tell you. But first, tell me what kind of people you have met in your travels so far?”

The traveler responded, “Oh, you wouldn’t believe it! I’ve met the most amazing people. People who are kind and generous to strangers. People who care for one another like family. I’ve met young people with wisdom beyond their years and I’ve met older people with a youthful passion for life that brings joy to everyone they meet. And I’ve learned so much from all of them.”

As the traveler spoke, the wise man smiled brightly as he nodded in a knowing way. “Yes, I believe I know exactly the kind of people you speak of. And I’m happy to tell you, if you go into my village, that’s exactly the kind of people you will meet.”

Most often what we see in people is dependent on our perspective. If we expect to find negativity, most likely we’ll find it. If we expect to find nothing of worth, we’ll find nothing of worth in people. But if we go searching for the best in people like the second traveler, we will find the good in those we meet and interact with. When we go searching for the good in people, everyone is a winner and each one goes away encouraged.

Is your perspective more like the first or the second traveler? What will you do this week, beginning today to be more like the second traveler in our story?

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

If asked “What is the primary goal of your church.” what would be your response? The overwhelming majority in any church cannot answer this one question. Some would offer a “churchy” answer, yet they really have no clue of any true goals of the church. The truth is the leadership in many churches never set goals for differing reasons which include, 1) life gets in the way, to much to do. 2) fear of goal setting. 3) fear of failure. 4) misunderstanding of the importance of goal setting. 5) Lack of knowledge to properly set good goals.

In this article we’ll look at some basic broad based goal ideas for your church. These are what I call overarching themes that a church can determine to set a goal from. In other words, if a church has an overarching theme of Increasing the level of missions awareness, a goal might be set to increase not only the education of missions, but also the missions giving and the number of people going out on short term missions projects each year. If your church had zero people on mission projects the past year, your goal might include sending at least five (5) people on short term mission trips in the next year.

Here are some ideas for Overarching Themes. 1) To raise the level of quality Great Commission ministries to the community. Evaluating ministries each year for their effectiveness in fulfilling The Great Commission is a great practice. How many of your ministries are wavering in truly fulfilling The Great Commission?

2) To discover and develop a distinctive niche of service to your community. Using a community survey can assist in determining the needs of your community. Compare the needs with the God-given gifts and passions of your church and you have found your niche. Contact me, I can assist you with a three question survey that can be used six ways to determine the true needs of your community.

3) Develop a consistent, comprehensive plan of community ministry to share Christ and experience His Kingdom growth. This is not only doing one ministry or one event but emphasizing every member and every ministry group to utilize their gifts and skills to serve and share Jesus in some capacity through the church to your community.

4) Develop a consistent decision-making plan for effective God-driven ministry use of resources, people, finances, property and time. How will you decide what is good and right for your church? Set a plan, develop a series of questions to ask before making any ministry related decision. Then be strict in following the plan.

5) To reach new people groups in your community through genuine care and service. Established churches of forty or more years have likely seen a turnover in the community. What new ethnic groups has God brought into your ministry area? How can your church use God’s gifting’s to bless these new people groups?

Using these Overarching themes as a starting point can assist you in setting goals for your church. Setting goals helps keep us focused as a church. When you do not set goals, you cannot reach them because you cannot hit a target that is not there. Where will you begin to identify your church goals and set out to reach them?

Contact George Yates for more information on Overarching Themes and Goal setting.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.

Don was a member of one church where I served on staff. He truly had a servant’s heart. Don had retired from a local factory and spent much of his time serving God leading Bible studies and services in nursing homes, visiting shut-ins, and the sick in the community. I cannot remember a time when Don was not available and ready to serve in whatever capacity was needed; whether it was visiting, a demolition or refurbishing project, or driving someone to the airport or doctors appointment. Don truly was a servant of God and it humbles me still today when I think of his selfless, faithful service to our Lord.

I begin this article with my perspective of Don Hollingsworth because he taught me a lot and when God called me away from that church, I feel Don gave me one the greatest compliments I have ever received. On our last day of service with this particular church Don stood before the congregation and said, “One thing I learned from George is there are no problems in life, only opportunities.” Don went on to explain what that meant in general and in his personal life.

That may not seem like what you would consider a great compliment. I was not expecting this comment, still I consider it a compliment and a testimony of living day in and day out of how iron sharpens iron. Here was a man twenty plus years my senior, whom God was using to influence and encourage me and sometimes to humble me as well. Following his statement I began reflecting on our four years together in ministry and could recall Don entering my office, riding in the car to a visit, or even sitting at lunch. Though I may not have realized the events when they happened, I could now recall Don entering my office and saying we have a problem, or sitting at lunch, or in the car saying something similar using the word problem. My response was always the same, “Don, we don’t have a problem, we have an opportunity.” Then we would begin to explore the opportunity. What did God have in mind and in store for us through this opportunity?

You may ask what is the difference. The difference, I believe is huge and of cataclysmic proportion. When we look at issues and situations as problems, our efforts and outlook are only focused on the negative. No matter how we try to explain away our attitudes and actions dealing with problems always originate from the negative plane. You cannot put enough spin on your words or actions to remove it from the negative.

On the other hand when you deal only in opportunities you always deal from the positive plane. Where ever there is an opportunity there is the prospect of betterment. When we deal with opportunity our thoughts are on improvement or becoming better. I believe it is nearly (if not always) impossible to view opportunity from a negative plane. Opportunity imparts a positive point of view and positions you for a constructive approach to your situation or issue.

When we view our situation as a problem we almost always push the reasoning to someone or some event outside of our control. “It was the economy.” “Our people are not doing their job.” This is human nature because we cannot possibly view ourselves as the problem.
However, when we deal with opportunities we always probe how we can improve our organization, ourselves, and the productivity of our employees or volunteers. Dealing with opportunities in this manner becomes a winning situation for everyone.

Even in personal life those who deal in problems will always operate out of the negative plane. “I really messed that up. I don’t know what I am doing.” That is certainly dealing from a negative, problematic point of view. There was certainly something gone wrong here. I did mess up, the opportunity is, now how can I learn from this and take action steps to improve and demonstrate that I can do this and greater things than this.

Hopefully, by now you can see this is much more than semantics or a play on words. There is an enormous difference in attitude and action toward the issue, the people involved and the desired improved outcome.

In life you are given opportunities to help yourself and others. As long as you view people or situations as problems you will never rise above a negative perspective on life. And you will never be all that God created you to be. However, once you begin to view life as a series of opportunities, not only will your life improve. You will assist in the improvement of life for many. That my friends is the purpose God has for you in life.

Remember, there are no problems in life, only opportunities. Let’s improve something today!

This post first appeared on January 12, 2012.

George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life. Click here to receive this blog in your email inbox each Tuesday.