retinkin

Last Saturday I went to a training event regarding our new denominational media campaign "Rethink Church." As much as I dislike Saturday training events (though I was able to take my coffee into the Sanctuary, thanks to a gracious colleague) there were some stimulating moments in the day.

A new important part of the campaign is the idea that in the 8 year old slogan "Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors" the word "open" is no longer considered an adjective, instead we need to think of it as a verb. So we are "opening" hearts, minds and doors. Or you can think of it like a command: our task is to open hearts, minds and doors. While this revision is more exciting than the old concept for those inside the church, (and some of the videos to communicate this idea are actually GOOD) I do wonder how it sounds to those outside the church. Would it come off as patronizing? "hey! We want to open your heart and mind and front door!"


Oh wait. It might be our hearts and minds and doors that need to be opened. I guess that is closer to the truth. "Hey world! We are trying desperately to pry open our small hearts and tiny minds and locked doors so there is room for you!" Yes, that might be closer to the truth.


The other key revision of the campaign is the concept that churches have "ten thousand doors." Seems we have focused rather exclusively on worship being the one "door" for newcomers. It might be more effective, campaign creators say, for the first "door" into the church to be a small group or a service project or a special class or a Vacation Bible School or a block party. In those other settings relationships are formed that then become a bridge to participation in the worship life of the chruch.

I like this, because it helps us think fully about the entry points of our church, nothing is for "members-only," everything we do is a chance for hospitality.

The problem is (you knew there was going to be a problem, didn't you?) in how the "trainers" expressed this idea on Saturday. They asked, "Who has vital and passionate worship?" And they asked it in a way that showed they expected few hands to go up. They went on to say basically, "We know worship stinks at your church. So don't invite people to worship. That's boring. Invite them to something fun, like a bar-b-que or a work project. " The implication is that when they know you a little more they will be able to tolerate the boring worship like you do.

Anyone else think this is a little backwards? If worship isn't vital and passionate...FIX WORSHIP! And realize that while not everyone is going to feel comfortable stepping into the Sanctuary as their first contact with a church, most people are still going to use that as the primary entry point. Hence the need to FIX WORSHIP!

Realizing I have ten thousands doors to my church does not mean I should ignore or shut the biggest and most obvious door I have (namely 10:30 worship on Sunday morning.) It just means I need to make sure all available doors are unlocked, open and ready to welcome whomever wishes to walk through them. (Metaphorically speaking of course. This is the big city).

Enough rant. Best learning point of the day came from a line in the campaign's signature video:
"the smallest step through one of our doors is an act of courage."

That seems like truth to me.