Book Review: Purple Cow
Last weekend I finished Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow. The reason for the unique title is explained in the first few pages: regular cows are plain and often overlooked, while purple cows attract anyone’s attention. The “Purple Cow” is a business that is unique in some way that allows it to rise above its peers and become the leader (example: JetBlue or Starbucks). While this is mainly a business marketing book, many principles can be carried over into the church. The main point I take from this book into ministry: “the opposite of extraordinary is Very Good.”
When things are going well in your ministry (students are catching the vision, budget is good, church support is high), the tendency might be to keep the status quo. Why mess with something that is not broken? Well, being satisfied with the status quo means being satisfied with “very good.” And “very good” is not extraordinary; it is not Purple Cow. Instead, strive for your ministry to be extraordinary, so that the ministry can expand and bless more people. Don’t let your ministry slip into being a brown cow; strive to become a purple cow.
Overall, a great book. A
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