Sydney's streets are littered with small fridge sized dark brown rectangular boxes positioned between the footpath and the road. Hundreds, maybe thousands of them. They are used by postmen to store mail for distribution. It has only been in the last two years that I have noticed their existence. Up until then they were invisible to me. Now I see them everywhere.
I wonder whether the same can be said of our churches?
Do people drive past a hundred churches and never notice them? In the past few years I have been on two Moore College Missions where we served coffee on the lawn between the church building and the footpath. On both occasions, in different regions people came up to me and said they thought that the church must be closed. To them the vibrant church life present was invisible.
Possible Reasons
Why could this be the case?
Here are some thoughts.
1. Church's busiest time in often Sunday morning well before many people wake up, let alone leave the home. By the time they surface and enter the sunshine, church is over and the building closed.
2. The buildings have been standing longer than passer-bys have been in the area. The church building is just part of the natural geography of the suburb which you take for granted and so ignore. While much change may be occurring inside the building, nothing happens to the external fabric of the building that would make a person think there is any life here or any reason to re-assess the dormant state of the church.
3. There is a generally held community sentiment that churches are a thing of the past, a belief enhanced by the fact that our buildings are often so large and the members so few.
4. For almost all of the 168 hours in a week the church doors are closed.
5. No evidence exists that the church has any engagement with the community. Things that are inactive soon become invisible.
What can be done?
Here are some thoughts about what can be done. I await your thoughts too.
1. Have something prominent outside your building that changes regularly. The greatest advertising for St. Barnabas' Broadway was the constantly changing bright sign out the front. No one would have even noticed the building if it weren't for the sign.
2. Do communal things like morning tea outside.
3. Make a significant, visible change to the exterior of the building.
4. Individuals from church play a significant part in community life. Don't be afraid to let the community know that you are part of the church family. Perhaps a quality church T shirt or pullover can help?
5. A group from church, properly attired can do something in the community
6. Ring the church bell (sparingly, if you have one).
7. Have welcomers to church stand outside the building, with smiles on their faces; not inside where they can't be seen.
8. Organise for church members to 'scoop' for people by going outside the church grounds and inviting people to the meetings about to commence.
9. Open the doors of the church and conduct history tours.
10. Conduct non-service time meetings on site, so that people may see the building is being used.
11. Regularly provide content about people and photos for the local paper about interesting things your church is doing.
And remember, the goal in all this is not to make our buildings visible, but to connect with those around us so that the message of salvation can be shared.
