New Place

Sunday was a good day in the new place at Melrose.

The day before the chairs were put together, the carpet was scrubbed, the windows were washed, the nursery set up, the handicap ramp built, the sound lines run, even the ceiling light lenses were scrubbed.  The day before ended up being a last minute work day where some people (one who's name begins with 'Bob') spent up to 12 hours getting things ready. It was a picture of various members of one body working together with 'each doing its part' (Eph. 4:16).

The first Sunday was greeted with equal enthusiasm by the first worshipers.  People loved the new space, thought it was beautiful and were in a grateful mood.  Ultimately, a church is not about a place but about a people and their God. Christians don't need a nice place to worship their King, but when God provides one, it shows his grace and beauty all the more.

What Difference Would it Make really?

Last post I mused that a new home for Cornerstone would not be the solution or salvation or even the secret ingredient to move our congregation forward.  It's important to remember that God's plan for his church has never been about buildings or meeting places.  Often, these things have gotten in the way of the true mission of the church.

Never the less, there are good reasons why a church in our situation should look for a home.

1.) A place  we can call our own establishes us in the community.  It communicates that we belong, we are financially committed, we are willing to put down roots. It says our intentions are to stay and serve.

2.) A home base gives us exposure.  While visibility does not guarantee success, it does cause people to sit up and take notice, provided we are in a noticeable location.  "Where is your church" is the most common question I get regarding Cornerstone.  It is always best to think about the church as a people and not a place, but that is not how most people in our culture think.

3.) A place in the community we can call our own allows us to share those resources.  When we share our resources with other Christian organizations we become partners in the gospel message - the one thing we have to offer that no civic organization does.  When we share our resources with civic organizations we partnership with that organization's mission and show our love for the community.


4.) A place we can call our own allows us to develop unique ministries.  Initially, it even encourages them.  Already, we are thinking about events and activities we can organize around our new place during the week or weekend.

Would having our own space really make a difference?  In some small ways it already has.  There is a buzz about things on Sunday morning.  There are already plans for new ministries.  There are discussions taking place in the broader community about what might be happening with Cornerstone.  Ultimately, my hope is that this enthusiasm for new things would really be about an enthusiasm for the proclamation of the gospel.  If that happens, our new place would have a huge impact for all of eternity.

What Difference Would it Make?

Let’s assume for a minute that Cornerstone Church gets a ‘home’.  A place we can call our own.  A place we can use anytime.  A place to hang out a sign that says, ‘here we are’.  What difference would it make?

Would a home help us to grow numerically?   I have an unscientific theory that churches see a 10-20% increase in attendance after they move into a new building or complete a new building project.   Why this seems to be so is unclear.  Maybe it’s the novelty of a new place.  Maybe it’s a change of scenery that causes a congregation to get noticed.  Maybe it’s a psychology of ‘something is happening’, so people check it out.  But growth based purely on curiosity or psychology is not really New Testament Acts Chapter 2 growth.

Would a home promote evangelism? Do people come to Jesus because there is a church that hangs out a sign? Church signs are only good for people who are looking for a church to attend.  And generally speaking, most people in our culture are not looking for a church.  After all, churches are for people who have deep spiritual needs, or for people who can’t make it on their own, or for people who are sinners in need of redemption.  Few people in our culture see themselves in those terms.

Would a home help us grow closer to one another?  It’s nice to have a place we can gather together, but I’ve noticed we can meet one another and share life together in a number of different places.  Snickerdoodles, for one, is not a bad place to meet.  Someone’s home, it could be argued, is the most effective place to share life together.  Our meetings in the basement of Immanuel Lutheran Church have produced just as much fellowship and joy in one another as our meetings at the Sr. Center or anywhere else.

Would a home help us serve the community? We could certainly offer our space for the community to use, just like the public schools do and the Senior Center does, and the public library does, and the fire department does, and the legion hall does, and the town hall does, and other churches do.  It wouldn’t make us unique.

Would a home stimulate spiritual growth in our lives?  Would it draw us closer to Christ?  Would it send us deeper into His Word or propel us to depend on Him more?  It may prove a good place to have a Bible Study, but true spiritual growth begins in the heart, not in a building.

Are you getting my point?  A ‘church home’ may be a good thing, and in my next blog I want to say why, but for now, the point I want to make is that having a church home is not what causes growth, or ministry, or fellowship, or service or sanctification.  All of those things happen through the power of God’s Spirit and the labor of God’s people.