Last night Luke and I spent some time in a coffee shop in Nashville called Fido and I loved the environment. It was live, comfortable, engaging, public and private. It is part of Bongo Java Roasting Company. What is it about the environment that made it so enjoyable? - It was my first time. First times usually make us take in an environment. Slowing down and see what is around me instead of rush in and out. Looking to see what ALL they have to serve and what ALL is on the shelves to sell. I drank my first Naked juice last night.
- It was very public - full of people, but a table could be found,but no plug :( .
- It was very private - no one intruded our space.
- It was live. Chatter was everywhere. Computers were everywhere. Deep conversations were going on as well as simple conversations.
- It was comfortable. Not that the seats were some new kind of cushion but it just felt good to be there.
Why do people not feel that way at church? Or should we?
Your answer is in this question.
ReplyDeleteSuppose a tornado came and blew the word Baptist off a Baptist church sign; would they let it be with the new affiliation of no affiliation or would they quickly run to glue/nail the word Baptist back on the sign?
Lakewood Church is the largest church in America. Its founder John Osteen was a high school drop out and founded the church in an old feed store; a storm did the above to the sign Lakewood Baptist Church; it did not matter to them as the Baptist folk were getting ready to give them the left foot of fellowship for operating in I Coronthians 12. 50 years later the rest is history with Joel Osteen leaving his studies at Oral Roberts University, instituted Lakewoods tv ministry, and on his fathers sudden death walked on the stage ( as never before, never had spoken once as he was a behind the scene person) and preached. The people liked him. It grew from a feedstore, to a military base, to a 5,000 seat building to the now 90 year lease on the old Houston Rockets areana.
I think it should be like a coffee shop.
ReplyDeleteI think there is time for private and public in church, time for comfortable, and time for liveliness.
First impressions are also very important and I think "first times" should be awesome for new people at churches.
In California alot of non conventional things happen in church. Imagine a barber attending with a barber chair in the corner of the stage? Free hair cuts to the lost who think they have to look right to be saved? Let em look right and then they will get saved?
ReplyDeleteMomma n' nem might have a fit over this!
I remember street witnessing on the strip and operating within I Cor 12. Speaking to the drunk students and ministering in the word of knowledge, reading their mail so to speak and they got saved. 10-15 salvations in 2-3 hours.
This is how it worked; they would walk by and you would turn and say " hey, do you know where I can find a good church, the kind where people get set free?" As they begin to talk you interupt them with a word of knowledge as the spirit willed. They are getting their mail read and then you ask them to receive the free gift of life.