A few times a year, usually on special occasions, we go to the Cheesecake Factory. It has one of the longest restaurant menus at about 6000 words. It includes over 85 different chicken dishes. At our pace, it would take years for us to eat our way through all the dishes. This long menu is one of their distinguishing factors. They don’t spend much money on advertising because people tend to tell others about the place. Person-to-person excitement passes the word.
I have gone with groups over time and sampled lots of different items. I settled on something I love. It is what I always order. Therefore, I no longer look at the menu. I know that two or three times a year I’m going to get Bang Bang Chicken and Shrimp. Cindy and I share it because it’s huge. We ask them to hold the chives and sometimes that frequently means that they hold the peas as well, which is always confusing to us. It has peanuts, coconut, curry, carrots, zucchini, and wonder. Somehow the flavors all mix in a perfect combination. The plate is always scraped clean by the end of the meal.
The meal almost always ends with one of the 35 different cheesecakes. Again, we no longer need to consult the menu. The answer is always the same, “White chocolate raspberry truffle.”
If you asked me for a recommendation for a place to eat for a special occasion the Cheesecake Factory would be at the top of my list. I know some people only like local quirky places, but I get lots of comfort knowing I can order my special meal at nearly 200 different places and be satisfied at any of them. Over time, I have recommended the place and my meal to lots of people.
This pass-along effect is what draws people. The same idea is what makes churches grow. If you have found something that you love, if you return to it again and again, why not share it with others? Do you love the friends and support you get in Christian community, then recommend it to others? Do you have the peace that only Christ can bring? Then help others know that peace. We can’t afford to eat at CF every day, every week, or even every month. We, however, get to feast at the table of God’s love every day and the table is available to everyone.