The Legitimacy Gap
I was at a nice restaurant recently - one I had really looked forward to visiting. The problem? The food was lackluster, the ambiance mediocre and my expectations were high. The combination wasn’t good.
I experienced the legitimacy gap - the difference between what they were providing and what my expectations were. It may have been that they were having a bad day or it may have been that as a result of advertising and word of mouth my expectations had reached impossible levels. Regardless, the gap was there.
Many of the problems churches and ministries face today come as a result of a legitimacy gap. The difference between the expectation of ethical behavior in Christian leadership and the heartbreaking scandal of national religious leaders and their sinful lifestyles. Or, on a local level, the expectation of honest business dealings and the discovery of dishonesty.
If we are going to be effective in touching our world it can only be when we close the legitimacy gap through authentic Christianity. By not only talking the talk but walking the walk.
There will always be impossible and unrealistic expectations - but when we point people to Jesus, and when we model the spirit and actions of Jesus in our lives, we go a long way to close the gap.
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