No doesn't mean No
No doesn't mean no.
When someone says "no," a leader doesn't hear "no." Leaders aren't easily defeated or discouraged when they have a God-given vision. They'll die before they let the vision die. Where there's a will there's a way! Leaders turn "No's" into positive and playful challenges. They get on the solution-side rather than staying on the problem-side.
I have a saying when someone says something can't be done. I remind them that we "put a man on the moon, certainly we can do this." I love people with a "can do" spirit. I rank a "possibility" attitude right next to loyalty. It's that important to me. I want to be around people who dream God-sized dreams.
Bill Hybels told about how Willowcreek Community Church got started at the leadership forum I was at today. They wanted to rent the Willowcreek Theater. They thought it was the "perfect" location for them. But the local manager said, "No." So Bill Hybels talked to the regional manager. He said, "No." Bill asked him who owned the entire theater chain and he tried to set up a meeting with the president of the company. He said, "No." So Bill Hybels when and sat in the waiting area outside his office. His administrative assistant asked if she could help him and he said he wanted to meet with the President. She said, "No." But he asked if he could just stay there. He sat in the waiting room for four hours. The President walked by him several times. Finally, at the end of the day, the President realized that it must be something pretty important or pretty urgent to spend all day in his waiting room. He asked Bill Hybels what he wanted. Bill Hybels said, "I have a way to add revenue to one of your theaters at a time when it's not being used." The owner was all ears. To make a long story short, Willowcreek met in that theater for six and a half years and grew to several thousand people. But it all started with a leader who wouldn't take "no" for an answer!
What if he had accepted the first or second or third "no." Well, there is no telling what would have happened to Willowcreek Community Church. But Bill Hybels said they probably wouldn't be who they are or where they are. It all traces back to an unwillingness to give up on a dream! No doesn't mean no!
Ebenezers is a testament to our willpower as a church. We refused to give up. There is no way we should own that piece of property. I still can't believe we purchased it, rezoned it, and got our design approved by the Historic Preservation Society. But we refused to give up. We refused to hear the word "no." I lost count of how many times the owners said they weren't interested in selling it to us. I probably left two dozen messages over the course of eight years that went unanswered. But we wouldn't go away!
Somtimes you can't take "no" for an answer.
The four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus would take a "no" for an answer. The widow in one of Jesus' parables wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Part of asking and seeking and knocking is not taking "no" for an answer!
When someone says "no," a leader doesn't hear "no." Leaders aren't easily defeated or discouraged when they have a God-given vision. They'll die before they let the vision die. Where there's a will there's a way! Leaders turn "No's" into positive and playful challenges. They get on the solution-side rather than staying on the problem-side.
I have a saying when someone says something can't be done. I remind them that we "put a man on the moon, certainly we can do this." I love people with a "can do" spirit. I rank a "possibility" attitude right next to loyalty. It's that important to me. I want to be around people who dream God-sized dreams.
Bill Hybels told about how Willowcreek Community Church got started at the leadership forum I was at today. They wanted to rent the Willowcreek Theater. They thought it was the "perfect" location for them. But the local manager said, "No." So Bill Hybels talked to the regional manager. He said, "No." Bill asked him who owned the entire theater chain and he tried to set up a meeting with the president of the company. He said, "No." So Bill Hybels when and sat in the waiting area outside his office. His administrative assistant asked if she could help him and he said he wanted to meet with the President. She said, "No." But he asked if he could just stay there. He sat in the waiting room for four hours. The President walked by him several times. Finally, at the end of the day, the President realized that it must be something pretty important or pretty urgent to spend all day in his waiting room. He asked Bill Hybels what he wanted. Bill Hybels said, "I have a way to add revenue to one of your theaters at a time when it's not being used." The owner was all ears. To make a long story short, Willowcreek met in that theater for six and a half years and grew to several thousand people. But it all started with a leader who wouldn't take "no" for an answer!
What if he had accepted the first or second or third "no." Well, there is no telling what would have happened to Willowcreek Community Church. But Bill Hybels said they probably wouldn't be who they are or where they are. It all traces back to an unwillingness to give up on a dream! No doesn't mean no!
Ebenezers is a testament to our willpower as a church. We refused to give up. There is no way we should own that piece of property. I still can't believe we purchased it, rezoned it, and got our design approved by the Historic Preservation Society. But we refused to give up. We refused to hear the word "no." I lost count of how many times the owners said they weren't interested in selling it to us. I probably left two dozen messages over the course of eight years that went unanswered. But we wouldn't go away!
Somtimes you can't take "no" for an answer.
The four friends who brought their paralyzed friend to Jesus would take a "no" for an answer. The widow in one of Jesus' parables wouldn't take "no" for an answer. Part of asking and seeking and knocking is not taking "no" for an answer!
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