Church Is Changing Around Us

Hello Church,

9 new Methodist worship services have been started in the Cincinnati area.  All 9 are working and growing. 

But here's the catch.... none of them are in church buildings.

A nursing home.  An art store.  A brewery.... to name three of them...

They aren't huge worship services.  Most are 50 or less.  That's okay because most of our church buildings are worshiping 50 or less.  One difference is that these new worship sites have worked up to 50, not down to 50.  This new trend is known as Fresh Expressions.  The idea isn't local, but the idea is catching hold.

Church is changing.  Perceptions of church are changing.  Worshiping congregations who understand this shift are changing how they go about reaching people.  They are naming their fears; taking risks and putting it all out there.  Relationship building is taking precedence over brick buildings.  9 times it has been tried by the Methodist church in the Cincinnati area.  All 9 times it has and still is working.  Relationships built; Holy Communion; baptisms, new members, etc.

What does this mean for Emmanuel?  I'm not sure, but I would like to have the conversations.  I have been to a Fresh Expressions service.  I can't say it was really my thing, but I'm not sure that's the point.  If we are trying to reach people who are put off by the institutional church, then we need to think outside the institution.  As one who was raised in the faith by the institution, this is scary indeed.  I would still like to have the conversations.

In the end, God wants people to feel loved and connected to a faith community.  What that means today isn't any different than in years past.  Yet when and where that happens has often been pigeon-holed to Sunday mornings in a specific kind of building.  What does this mean?  I don't know, but I'd like to have the conversations.

God is Good,
Pastor Joe