After years of digging deep to underwrite the cost of central facilities, it can feel like betrayal to consider adding off-site ministries.
But it’s a choice we must make. The drawing power of our main facilities, no matter how much architectural significance they have, simply isn’t large enough to serve effectively in a changing world.
Four reasons for this shift in attitude:
First, worship itself has lost its appeal to many, especially to younger cohorts. Who wants to sit in a wooden pew and listen to someone else sing and talk?
Second, many people prefer activities close to their homes, where they can meet neighbors like other young parents, and social networking can occur.
Third, corporate worship can seem too large and passive for some people. They want to sit in a small, faith-focused circle and search for God. Or get their hands dirty in a mission project.
Fourth, many find corporate worship to be dull and lifeless. Just accept that as reality, even if you don’t feel that way at all.
To these commonly expressed reasons, I would add one more: even the best Sunday worship experience can only serve a small handful of needs. The more we try to load onto Sunday worship, the more frustrated we become. Much of the dismay and discord in our ranks stems from trying to satisfy every need in Sunday worship.
Worship should be allowed to focus on one or two needs. For those who want more or something different altogether, add more and do it off-site.
If Sunday worship is weak on real intimacy, offer smaller gatherings where people can get close to each other.
If Sunday worship doesn’t have room for personal expressions of views and questions, offer small groups that depend on such expressions.
If Sunday worship isn’t able to offer more than token participation to children and youth, create other venues where they can lead, plan, participate and feel capable.
If Sunday worship doesn’t stray beyond denominational tradition, offer off-site worship experiences where people can sing, speak, pray and worship in new ways.
In other words, be realistic about what Sunday worship can reasonably be expected to do, and do that as well as possible.
It won’t be enough. If you are committed to growing your church, broadening your constituency and moving forward in mission, you will want to fill others’ needs as well. Do it elsewhere, and do it creatively.
If you look at it that way, then you clearly aren’t betraying your past. You are giving more, because people need more.
TOM EHRICH is a writer, church consultant and Episcopal priest based in New York. He is a founder of the Church Wellness Project churchwellness.com. His Web site is morningwalkmedia.com.
