Orchard’s story goes back a long way. Almost as far back as my second birthday, though I don’t remember it. Thirty years is a lot of candles. That’s three decades of making an impact and helping thousands of people live out the calling God has given us: to love those around us like Jesus would.
Thirty years is enough time for the world to change in every possible way. But one thing stays the same: we’re always trying to figure out how to truly love people in a world that keeps moving. My team and those before us have all been part of this ongoing effort, adapting and hoping to get it right. Sometimes we succeed, sometimes we don’t. But we’ve learned some lessons along the way. Here are ten philosophies that guide Orchard. They aren’t rules, just what we’ve picked up over three decades of meeting people where they are.
- Service is easier when done together.
We aren’t meant to go through life alone. Scripture tells us this, and deep down, we know it too. If you try to run by yourself, you might give up. But if you run with others, you keep going. That’s the power of encouragement and accountability. Sometimes you need a pep talk, a gentle push, or even a strong nudge. Life is meant to be shared, and so is service.
- Life doesn’t slow down.
Every day, we run a cost-benefit analysis to decide what to do and when to do it. Service gets shoved into the ‘maybe tomorrow’ pile, until tomorrow never comes. ‘When life slows down,’ which never does. The bigger question we want to pose is: how can we incorporate service into our daily lives rather than disconnect the two? You may truly be too busy to serve at your local food bank every week. But you’re not too busy to check on a neighbor who is sick.
- Consistency matters.
In the Western world, we often think everything should keep growing. We focus more on big impact than on steady consistency. Some nonprofits should grow, some should get smaller, and honestly, some might need to close. But when we focus on being consistent instead of just growing, we can better celebrate what God is doing in our work instead of worrying about doubling our impact.
- Start small and start now.
A lot of great things start out messy. Most ministries and nonprofits I’ve seen began in chaos, not with a perfect plan. Leaders and organizations often figure things out as they go. We can get caught up in wanting a polished logo or a flawless program before we even begin. Excellence is good, but chasing perfection will only hold you back. Start by making something good, then keep learning how to make it better. Excellence helps, but perfection can stop you in your tracks.
- We have put the idea of service into a box.
When did we start thinking service only counts if you’re greeting at church or volunteering at a nonprofit? I want to be clear, I love the local church and nonprofits. But when we define service so narrowly, we start to believe those are the only ways to make a difference. The truth is, there are endless ways to serve your community. Find what you care about and what you’re good at, and start there.
- Intentionality is a daily practice.
Studies say the average person has about 20,000 moments each day. We can’t be intentional with all of them, but we can focus on one or two. When life feels routine or lacking purpose, what if we took a few minutes each day to be intentional with someone? Maybe it’s a check-in call, dinner with a neighbor, or praying for someone. There are so many ways to make a difference.
- Loving our neighbor is more than just inviting them to church.
Invite your neighbor to church, absolutely. But also invite them over for dinner and ask about their mom, who was just diagnosed with cancer. God puts people in our lives for us to love, and that means going beyond just inviting them to church on Sunday.
- You have a unique gift, use it.
I’m always amazed that God made each of us to care about such different things. You were created with intention and purpose. If you love singing, use that gift for God’s glory. If you love carving wooden birds, use that too. You were not created accidentally.
- The world changes by microservice.
There are nearly 2.6 billion Christians in the world. Imagine if all of us lived out Jesus’ love in our daily lives. We shouldn’t wait for big organizations or famous people to change the world. We can serve right where we are, with the influence God has given us. Our job is simply to say yes.
- The world has always been messy. The world has always needed Jesus.
We often talk about how bad things are today, but the truth is, the world has always been messy and full of pain. That’s been true since the fall of man and will continue for the rest of time. Even so, there is love and purpose to be found in Jesus Christ. Every day, we have the chance to love others as Jesus loved us.
The past 30 years have brought a lot of change, and we’ll probably say the same thing 30 years from now. But even as things change, there are always new opportunities, opportunities to make an impact, to help those we meet, and to love people the way Jesus loves us.
That’s what Orchard is all about. Thirty years of finding opportunities and helping people step into them. We’ll keep going as long as God allows.
Here’s to more opportunities ahead.
