I talked with someone today who revisited the question, "Why is our church not listed in the Gazette with the rest of the holy week services?" It is not the first time this question has come up and I doubt it will be the last, but I wanted to address it again. I really want to address it because I can understand the thoughts of people who don't understand. And though I'm in a different camp, I spent time in theirs. So, let me explain our position and speak to the issue.
It seems like the reasonable place for Severn River Church to advertise, after all that's where every other church advertises. Just look there are lists on the page of church activities. If it makes sense to them, then it should make sense for us, right? Well, this I would say is an illustration of conventional wisdom. However the convention isn't always correct. I believe that the church listings really only hit one kind of reader...Christian. People who look at the church listings already have a church. They look at the listings for the exciting "Christian" Entertainment. What church is having a pageant, musical or living last supper? Christians scan these ads as a means of judging if there is a better church out there for them. (of course we know that WE are the church, therefore the church "experience" is what WE make of it.) Here's another part of the convention that I part ways with, namely we don't want to target Christians to grow our church. I've had some say, "But Ben, I have Christian friends who don't enjoy going to their church, I want them to enjoy what I enjoy here at SRC." While I understand that sentiment, and I believe it's always great to worship with friends, please consider this. We did not start this church for disciples. We started it to make disciples and that mission drives us to those who have not yet begun following Christ. Admittedly, many of the people that are coming to SRC have long before asked Jesus to be their leader and forgiver. But that is not our mission. Our mission is to those who don't know Christ. If Christ followers come into SRC fine, but it will never be our target or aim to try and take sheep out of one pen and put them in ours.
We have embraced our vision which says that we are going to change Maryland by changing the greater Annapolis area. Someone asked me why we weren't in the Gazette. The Gazette is a north county publication, and while we have members who live in that area our focus is in an area that is served by the Capital. Therefore our newspaper coverage will be in the Capital when we run it for 40 Days of Compassion in September. When we advertise on Radio, we'll be looking for stations that hit our target in the Annapolis area. We are not a church of who we used to be, but of who we are going to become. Please remember that. But what's the bottom line?
The bottom line is that newspapers, radio spots, TV commercials, etc. are all just tools, and mostly ineffective at that. Yes, we have to forego the excitement of seeing our church name in black and white, we don't get to show it to our family and friends, but does any of that really bring people to Jesus?
I'm convinced and don't think it would be hard to convince anyone if we look at it objectively, that people don't come to Jesus because of any of the tools listed above. They come to Jesus because of people. They come to church because of community. They're looking for a place to belong and people they can believe with. That's what we are about at Severn River Church. Is it wrong to use those tools? Are we better than other churches because we don't join the fray of churches on the holy week list? No. It's just not who we are. If we were going to be like every other church, we might as well have just stayed at our other churches. We do things the average church doesn't do, to reach people the average church doesn't reach.
I know that church planting is transition turf. It is difficult to do things new. It's much easier as Mark Batterson says, "to lead from memory, rather than imagination." But we need to stay this course. This is the course of Severn River Church.
We'll make it. Hold on. Pray like it depends on God, and work like it depends on you. Sunday's going to be a great day.
--Ben
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