Posted on 03/09/2007 3:53:04 PM PST by Terriergal
Facilities and physical environment have a lot to do with what happens in a weekend worship service. The shape of your building will shape your service. Walk into some buildings and your mood will instantly brighten. Walk into other buildings and you'll feel depressed. The shape of a room can change a mood instantly; so can the temperature of room; so can the lighting in a room. Be aware of these factors and use them. Figure out what mood you want your service to project and then create it.
One of the problems we face in maintaining the church environment is that we tend to overlook defects after about four weeks. Once you become familiar with a building, you stop noticing what's wrong with it. The defects and disorder don't bother you as much as they did when you first noticed them. You become oblivious to the faded paint, the frayed carpet, the chipped pulpit, the outdated tract rack in the vestibule, the old bulletins left inside hymnals, the stack of stuff on the piano, and the burned-out light bulbs overhead.
Unfortunately, these things stand out immediately to visitors. They notice details.
One way to combat this tendency is to do an Environmental Impact Report on your church. Get a photographer to walk around your facilities and take pictures from the eyes of a visitor. Then show those pictures to your leaders and determine what needs to be changed. In particular here are some environmental factors you need to pay close attention to:
(Excerpt) Read more at christianpost.com ...
I have some missionary friends who frequently go to minister to the poor churches in Africa. There the people think nothing of attending church for 6-8 hours without air conditioning in very primitive conditions. "Comfy" churches are a pretty poor testimony to us.
You got that right.
I notice Rick doesn't say "make sure no anti-Christian people are waiting outside your church to blow up you and your congregants in the middle of worship" as might apply in other countries.
God forbid that we should actually let Him be involved in the worship service.
Of course not. Quenching the Holy Spirit is the standard M.O. for these people. They replace it with external emotionalism and call it "spirit filled." But again, it's the bait and switch...
Was it really necessary to put that ugly mug on the web? It's not as if he never gets any free publicity... LOL!
He left out the need for a Starbucks and a McDonalds. /sarc
Unfortunately, there aren't too many poor 3rd worlders making decisions about which US church to attend.
You are dealing with people who have a minimum of 2 cars, 2 tvs, 2 cell phones, 2 computers, 2 refrigerators, central air, and overstuffed furniture throughout.
I'm betting that any Christian of US persuasion who currently attends the air-conditioned church of their dreams will intentionally leave that church if the church deliberately turns off the air conditioning and vows never to use it again as a show of solidarity with their sweaty 3rd world friend .
You and me included.
I don't have problems with making practical considerations. But is there anywhere in Rick's story that makes the caveat you did, e.g. "this is for people who have 2 cars, 2 tvs," etc.? This is written to all churches, regardless of size and financial status. This puts a heavy burden on small struggling churches to conform to some sort of material standard or else God will abandon you/you will not grow. Where's there room for God to work in spite of circumstances in that? It is legalistic to keep hammering on practical aspects as if they are of utmost importance. Let's hear about Jesus instead. Because the only thing that sets free is Him, so knowing more and more about him (as opposed to how-to articles/sermons) is what I want. I don't understand why anyone wouldn't want more of Him, unless they aren't his in the first place.
Here you go with another false dichotomy. Someone should really buy you "the fallacy detective" (I use it in homeschooling, it's great - along with its sequel "the thinking toolbox.")
Who's stopping you from getting the message out?
There's no small church that can't sweep the floor, improve the lighting, take the junk off the piano, etc.
Here's a real truth about church attendance for you:
If I get there and it's crowded and I have to fight for a seat, I'll probably not be back.
If I don't have a place to park my car, I'll definitely not be back.
Those seem unbiblical, but they are practical considerations when there are so many churches to go to.
OK I give up. I'm going to puke.
One way to combat this tendency is to do an Environmental Impact Report on your church.
MAJOR ECCLESIASTICAL INTREP
The Seventh consideration: Are there cookies tossed on the carpet?
Yes, worship is all about our feelings. We wouldn't want to have anything in our churches put us in a bad mood.
I'm sure everyone was just as happy as can be at Calvary.
Paul and Silas managed to do it in a filthy Roman jail cell, after having been whipped. I think we're really missing something if the quality of our worship is determined by our circumstances.
This is the Onion, isn't it?
Please tell me this is the Onion.
Please tell me this is a satire.
There's a thought.
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