I had another conversation today with a (different than the other day) pastor friend. He was telling me about his new members class at his church, and how they work to "set the bar rather low" to allow people the room to find their place in the church. He has been teaching this class for a number of years, and has had all sorts of wild questions from all points on the spiritual spectrum. This makes me glad, as this church does not just attract dull religious types, that I alluded to yesterday.
One of his favorite questions came recently, when a prospective new member shot up her hand and said, "Can I ask a question here.....ok, so how many Sundays a month are you guys expecting me to be here?" What an interesting question.
So, is this what some people think the church expects, that we just "show up"? That there is some sort of "attendance protor lurking in the balcony"? Remember it was Woody Allen that said that "Eighty percent of success is showing up." Oh please!
What if we churchie folk, those who care dearly for the Body of Christ, devoted our passions to building a church like this? A place where people would never need to ask a question like this. Ever. A place where the sense of community, grace, learning, laughter, and care for the real needs and hurts of life were so well met that - folks would never need to ask this question. They would just always show up. Always feel the need to go. Be attracted. Have to go!
Wait, I know of a para-church place that does this, for youth.
1 comment:
Steve:
It seems to me your pastor friend has by intentionally setting "the bar rather low" set about to attract people who if they stick around will become "nominal Christians" rather than functioning members of the Body of Christ.
There is nothing wrong with a "low bar" when the church is encouraging people to come in the door and explore. Once in, such persons will either find the message meaningful and the fellowship attractive or they will not. It is the folks who find they want to "do church" within this particular fellowship for whom the church should "set the bar(for membership) rather high." In such a church there would be no one in the new members class asking the "what is minimum attendance" or "minimum giving" type of questions. The wild questions experience by your pastor friend would have been asked and answered long before a new members class. Those who found the answers satifactory would seek membership; those who did not would seek elsewhere for a place where they are misled into believing it is easy to follow Christ.
A Brother in Christ,
Derek Simmons
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