"...though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."

1 Corinthians 13:3 (NKJV)

I had a conversation with a pastor a few weeks ago who was talking about some of the new exciting and edgy changes that they were wanting to make in their church. In this conversation, she made a comment that I've heard many times from church leaders. It went something like this:

"Our church wants to encourage people to give God their absolute best because we believe He deserve all honor and glory, and so we should strive for excellence."

If you're in church leadership and have been so for several years, you know exactly where this idea came from. More than likely you've practiced it yourself in your years of ministry. The idea came from many church growth conferences and books. I know because I attended the conferences and read the books.

And if you have volunteered at "excellence" churches in the past, you've heard this damaging message that has been Bibletized and spiritualize over and over to get people to seek near perfection and obtain high production value in church services: "Excellence is our offering that brings honor to God"

I don't think God cares about our altars. In the Torah, all of the specifications for the altars are made of bronze and precision for two reasons: For durability and transportability. This was needed for the 40 years that the Israelites would wonder around the wilderness.

But before entering the Promised Land, God tells His people this:

"...build an altar there to the LORD your God, using natural, uncut stones. You must not shape the stones with any iron tool. Build the altar of uncut stones, and use it to offer burnt offerings to the LORD your God." Det 27:5-6 NLT.

Can you picture a rugged, heaping pile of jagged rocks as the altar God is describing? Why do you think God asked for this? Could it be the same reason he chose to be incarnated in human form through the means of a feeding trough in a stable? Or ride on a colt into Jerusalem? Or wash his disciples feet? Or as Paul said it "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to." Phil 2:6 NLT.

So why are so many churches infatuated with an altar of excellence? Or we could reframe the question and ask why so many churches prioritize an excellence culture? The answer is probably here in the United States, our whole culture thrives on excellence and success. Top quality production means better results. We test, refine, measure and push for new and better outcomes. When you're trying to send a spaceship of astronauts into space safely, this makes sense. But when you're trying to love broken and hurting sinners where they're at, this is unhelpful.

The altar of excellence becomes more damaging than successful. People in their brokenness and shame who desire redemption are all too eager to prove themselves worthy through rigorous ministry performance. And of course this strokes that hurting place in their soul for a while. But they can't sustain that excellence mindset for long without burning out. And eventually they will burn out.

But the altar of excellence is just the beginning.

If an altar of excellence is what allows us to feel a false sense of worthiness to God, then ego is what keeps us coming back again and again to it. Ego is not the sacrifice itself. It is the motive behind it. It's why we're so willing to give up our time, resources and energy because it makes us feel important or even better than others.

In Mathew 9:13, Jesus told this to the Pharisees and his disciples at a dinner party in Matthew's home:
"Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
Context is key here. The Pharisees were indignant that Jesus would be eating with tax collectors and sinners. They had spent all their lives striving to be what they thought was ultra holy - completely and sacrificially sold out to God. Part of this ultra holiness was not associating with anyone they labeled a sinner. Jesus is making a point here: true, genuine holiness is about showing mercy and compassion toward others - especially sinners.

And anytime Jesus or his apostles talk about sacrifice, it is always in context to love and mercy:

"Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God."
Hebrews 13:16 ESV

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
Ephesians 5:2 ESV

"Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
John 15:13 ESV

If there is any sacrifice God desires from us, it is to love others the way Jesus did. Not sacrificing our family time, mental health or financial gifts from the saints to make our church services "fancier". And yet that's how a lot of churches Bibletize it. Everything has to be slick, high quality and invested with a lot of blood, sweat and tears for it to be a sacrifice honoring God.

But there's one thing I believe God wants from us more than anything else - more than sacrifice. Even more than loving others the way Jesus did. The whole Bible constantly declares the heart of God for us in what he truly desires more than anything else.

Surrender.

We can't love our neighbors as ourselves until we've learned to love ourselves. And we can't do that until we recognize how much God loves us. And we can't accept his love until we've surrendered ourselves. Surrender is the key to everything. Sin is the opposite of surrender. Sin is about pushing our desires on others and attempting to get them - and God - to do what we want. Sin is about trying to be God. And it keeps us from his love.

Because of this, we must surrender our wills, our desires, our behaviors, our thoughts and our beliefs completely to him. And not once. This isn't a matter of "say a prayer and welcome to the family." Rather surrendering our sinful nature to God is a daily act. Because our flesh will always war with the Spirit, surrender must be a daily habit.

Here's what I'm learning about myself.

Sacrifice (in the false sense) is easier to pursue than daily surrender. For one, it makes me look really holy.