Apple Co. and their products (iPhone, iPad, Macbook, etc.) you either love them or you hate them, but despite that, they are one of the most successful companies today. Did you know that in 1997 the company was on the verge of bankruptcy? A little over 20 years later, they are now a $1 Trillion company! In December of 1997, you could have purchased a share of Apple stock for about $0.50; today a share in the company is about $226. How did they do it? One primary reason for such a significant turnaround was that they developed elegant and reliable products. But producing a great product does not always guarantee success. What Apple excelled at during this turn around was in rebranding themselves as a company that designed beautiful products with a positive user experience for its customers. It is in their mission statement of “bringing the best user experience to its customers through its innovative hardware, software, and services.”
Rebranding is about creating a new identity. For whatever reason, many companies will rebrand themselves to separate themselves from who they once were to who they desire to be. When we become Christians, we are to be rebranded as well. In 2 Corinthians 5:17-19, the Apostle Paul says,
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.”
When we become a Christian, we are a new creation. We are consecrated with a new purpose, passion, and power. What excites me the most about this declaration from God is that we can let go of who we once were and become who God is calling us to be. Do you feel like you are on the verge of emotional, mental, physical, or spiritual bankruptcy? Maybe it is time to allow yourself to be fully rebranded. Being a new creation is part recognition and part accepting God’s grace and mercy. We must recognize who we once were is not who God wants us to be, then we allow God’s mercy and grace to do the rest. How does this work? Find out this Sunday (September 15th) during Sunday school at 9:30 am and worship at 10:30 am. If you are unable to join us, then be sure to watch us online at our youtube channel.
In God’s grip,
Pastor Chuck Church