Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Church Parking Lot - Full or Empty?
Good morning family. Before I get to the main subject of today’s post I would be remiss if I didn’t give you a brief account of my day yesterday. How about a photo a couple of pictures:
Now before anyone says, "Hey, Cecil lost some weight and had a hair transplant," that isn't me in the pic. However the tower with the digital cameras mounted on each side was part of what we installed yesterday. As we were lifting the pole with the digtal cameras on each side into place, Brett said to me, "If you love you won't drop this pole. It has about $3,000 worth of cameras inside it." Talk about your sweaty palms. Now for pic #2:
This is a picture of the lift we installed and it doesn't do it justice as to length and size. Our day started at 9am and didn't end until around 6:30pm with a break for lunch. So, if any of you have been having "school teacher off for the summer" envy, you can say, "Yeah, the boy worked his butt off yesterday."
O.K., now for the main subject. As I alluded to a couple of posts ago, my good blog friend John Dobbs wrote a great post entitled, "Transitions." (http://johndobbs.wordpress.com/)
Here are a few of his points:
* Some informational / relational class offered every night of the week to help people cope with the dilemmas of life. We currently have addiction recovery and divorce recovery classes meeting. A parenting class will be offered starting next week.
* A consistent youth-night offering for fellowship, learning, fun, music, and to plan service projects.
* A coffee-house type event with light refreshments, live entertainment, candle light, lots of opportunity to sit around and enjoy the company of those who are present. Here’s an idea that is singing my song! Excellent!
He then sums all of this up by saying:
* There ought to be cars in our parking lot seven days a week.
These are just a few of his excellent points he makes so please go read his post. John’s post spured me to ponder and to now ask a couple of questions:
1. Should our church parking lots have cars in them each week? I’d like to know if you disagree (and I know all of you will be nice) with this statement and why? If you do disagree then there’s no reason to go to question number 2.
2. If you answered yes, what are some things we can do to make this happen? John does give many examples of how this could be accomplished.
As for me, you’ll probaby figure out that I’m a “yes” on number 1. I do have a concern about our church becoming a one event / one day a week church. I’m not concerned that our church will implode fighting over the rules and “regs” of our corporate worship. What I am concerned with is our young church being committed to Christ and to be the Body of Christ throughout the week. I want to give them more teaching, more chances to be ministered to, and to be ministers to our community. I want to balance that concern with not over-stressing our young families with young children.
So, how do you make that all work? I’m interested in your responses. Have a good day family.
Now before anyone says, "Hey, Cecil lost some weight and had a hair transplant," that isn't me in the pic. However the tower with the digital cameras mounted on each side was part of what we installed yesterday. As we were lifting the pole with the digtal cameras on each side into place, Brett said to me, "If you love you won't drop this pole. It has about $3,000 worth of cameras inside it." Talk about your sweaty palms. Now for pic #2:This is a picture of the lift we installed and it doesn't do it justice as to length and size. Our day started at 9am and didn't end until around 6:30pm with a break for lunch. So, if any of you have been having "school teacher off for the summer" envy, you can say, "Yeah, the boy worked his butt off yesterday." O.K., now for the main subject. As I alluded to a couple of posts ago, my good blog friend John Dobbs wrote a great post entitled, "Transitions." (http://johndobbs.wordpress.com/)
Here are a few of his points:
* Some informational / relational class offered every night of the week to help people cope with the dilemmas of life. We currently have addiction recovery and divorce recovery classes meeting. A parenting class will be offered starting next week.
* A consistent youth-night offering for fellowship, learning, fun, music, and to plan service projects.
* A coffee-house type event with light refreshments, live entertainment, candle light, lots of opportunity to sit around and enjoy the company of those who are present. Here’s an idea that is singing my song! Excellent!
He then sums all of this up by saying:
* There ought to be cars in our parking lot seven days a week.
These are just a few of his excellent points he makes so please go read his post. John’s post spured me to ponder and to now ask a couple of questions:
1. Should our church parking lots have cars in them each week? I’d like to know if you disagree (and I know all of you will be nice) with this statement and why? If you do disagree then there’s no reason to go to question number 2.
2. If you answered yes, what are some things we can do to make this happen? John does give many examples of how this could be accomplished.
As for me, you’ll probaby figure out that I’m a “yes” on number 1. I do have a concern about our church becoming a one event / one day a week church. I’m not concerned that our church will implode fighting over the rules and “regs” of our corporate worship. What I am concerned with is our young church being committed to Christ and to be the Body of Christ throughout the week. I want to give them more teaching, more chances to be ministered to, and to be ministers to our community. I want to balance that concern with not over-stressing our young families with young children.
So, how do you make that all work? I’m interested in your responses. Have a good day family.
Comments:
<< Home
Cars in the lot every night if the people aren't just serving each other. Maybe the people met at the church building to ride together to go serve others in the community
# posted by 
: 9:09 AM
: 9:09 AM
Yes, we need to be serving others consistently. My only "problem" with this suggestion is that it seems to place ministry in the context of the church building, which in my opinion is one of our problems. We have a tendency to think ministry is something we do "at church." In our recent situation in Long Beach (as you well know), our parking lot was full every day because of the restaurant across the street! However, we were very much a commuter church and most of our people didn't live anywhere near the building so a campus-based ministry, for the most part, just wasn't going to happen unless I did all of it. However, we did stress that people be involved in ministry where they are and that, to me, is more important (IMHO) than a church parking lot filled with cars.
Church buildings as a base for going out–yes.
Churches as a hot house for saints–no.
I think we need to find more ways to get into each others homes and get to really know each other.
Here's a good article that gives some thoughts on this topic.
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/
Peace.
Churches as a hot house for saints–no.
I think we need to find more ways to get into each others homes and get to really know each other.
Here's a good article that gives some thoughts on this topic.
http://blog.christianitytoday.com/outofur/
Peace.
We need to get back to "Continuing daily in one accord..." if it means meeting at the building, getting together in each others homes, or just getting out in the community to teach the Word, help the sick, etc...we should be doing it. I'm all for it.
Thanks, Cecil, for your comments. I think we all agree that it is important to serve the community. In our situation we have been doing this continuously for two years (since Katrina) with the help of volunteers. I still think there is value in using your facility to it's potential. Not exclusively...without setting a foot in the community ... but in our neighborhood church I'd love to see cars in the parking lot ... representing people there learning growing loving ... all the time.
My basic answer is "yes." I believe our buildings should be in use for every possible conceivable way of service that we can muster. Those of us who are members ought to be able to go to the church (and as others have pointed out, that doesn't necessarily mean a building) for any need we might have, be it emotional support, encouragement/preparation for "going out," whatever. I understand and agree with the comments about not capsulizing everything within the building and turning inward. But I believe every church is made up of groups that are strong, both emotionally and physically, and able to be out and about and doing His work. There are others who need to be pulled together for classes such as the ones you mentioned. For those with young children, of course, they are not as free to be at the building as frequently as others (there are senior citizens in every congregation looking for something to do and people to be with), and it would need to be understood from the get-go that everybody can't be everywhere at all times. Home and family are just as important, and if these are neglected, we might as well not have a building. Getting to know each other better and being in each other's homes is another great way (and even better way) of doing it. I subscribe to this comment wholeheartedly. Doris and I frequently have people in our home for meals in an effort to do this. So, as I said, my basic answer is yes. I think our buildings need to be used to full capacity. I would add to the list of classes you mentioned: how about a class for recovering stupidity? :) I think I need that one!!
JD has a unique situation as his church building is in the middle of his community. It has served as a blessing to all around.
Like Greg, our church (?) is a commuter church. However, if you are going to spend money on buildings you should find a way to use it. And I believe it has to be open to the community, not just to members. It is a tool.....and no tool is worth anything if it not used.
Like Greg, our church (?) is a commuter church. However, if you are going to spend money on buildings you should find a way to use it. And I believe it has to be open to the community, not just to members. It is a tool.....and no tool is worth anything if it not used.
This is almost after the fact, but Patrick Mead has a very insightful take on a related matter of church and ministry ... check him out at:
http://patrickmead.net/tentpegs/?p=219
http://patrickmead.net/tentpegs/?p=219
I think that the answer lies within the needs of your specific community. What is it that God is calling you to do to reach out to your community in your time with the message of Jesus. I think that no matter what we do it must be governed by getting Jesus into the lives of people and helping them grow into productive serving Christians. If a coffee shop is that in your community, God bless you.
Post a Comment
<< Home
