Do you ever think about that? Most people only see what could be. They say things like, “If our church did ___________ then it could be ____________.” We spend way too much time talking about what could be. Our church could be bigger. Our staff could be larger. Our congregants could be more giving, loving, caring and the list goes on.   

Could. It’s almost a useless word (to me). How much of our energy is focused on what could be.  

Should. Now there is a word that “Should” be in the churches vocabulary. When one has a vision for something, there is no Could. There is only Should. Could presents an Idea. Should casts a vision. Where Could presents  an opinion, Should shows a way. 

Should does not say “If” or “If only”. Should says, “Let’s do it. Let’s find a way. Whatever it takes.” Could sits on the sidelines and complains about what could be while Should carries the ball through obstacles and hurdles that most people would never consider approaching. 

Should is passionate. Should is on fire. Should makes comfortable people uneasy. Should messes with the status queue. Should is Vision. 

There is a significant difference between the outcome of Could and Should. When you begin to focus on Should, Could gets lost. Could cannot operate in the same realm as Should. When Should is in operation, Could grows silent.  

Should is not what could be. Should is what must be. One man said “Give me liberty or give me death.” Now there is Should. Could would say, we could have liberty if only this and that and you get the picture. Should however, says there is no other option. There is no other recourse. No backup plan. Do or die. Liberty or death. 

What Should be for your church in the coming New Year? Many churches are going to spend much time in planning session focusing on Could in the coming weeks. How many though will focus on Should. “We could do _________ this year, but we really Should do __________.