community

Should a dying church be repurposed?

It seems that I’m stuck on thinking about dying or dead churches. Why so grim, Alan? That is a good question. It seems that folks are interested in talking about this topic. For some odd reason, I’ve been thinking about struggling churches lately. Perhaps it is because I’m writing a second book on a related topic. I’m blessed with a growing and fruitful congregation to lead, but other pastors find themselves in a different situation.

Here in Albany, there are a number of congregations (mostly Catholic) who are closing their doors or selling property. According to the Albany diocese, 20% of churches will be closed. One church in particular, St. Patrick’s, is facing a flight from a group to stop the razing of the church. Some want to turn the church into a brewery or consider another purpose instead of a site for a supermarket.

Overit Media in Albany is housed in a former church.

Churches that closed are often bought as private homes, turned into a business, or sometimes bought by another church. I’m sure the members of a closed or closing church don’t want their structure turned into a pub or demolished to make way for a parking lot. Overit Media in Albany is one example of a church building turned business building.

Instead of closing or tearing down a church completely, is there another way?

A recent article from the Economist brought forward an idea that is growing. Since 1980, the Church of England has closed over 1,000 churches. That’s a lot of congregations and people. What can be done to reverse the trend? The idea goes something like this: keep the church building operating and functional, but repurposed the building so that services can be held while housing. The article sites some successful examples:

But there is a new mood in the Church of England… The plan is to turn the church into a community centre that will continue to hold religious services. This has worked elsewhere: Michaelhouse café in Cambridge… serves cappuccinos during the week but the building reverts to its original use as St Michael’s church on Sundays. In Hereford, Bath and York, working churches double as coffee shops, crèches and stores.

Could repurposing a church revive a church and help spawn new life through becoming a center for religious and cultural life? Doubling as a coffee shop and a church? Doubling as a library and a church? Doubling as a cultural center and a church? It is an exciting idea, but it is not a new one. Early church monastic communities featured gardens, centers of learning, and made money by selling goods that monks made.

But, how far could this concept go? Is it making a marketplace out of God’s house of worship or it is following where God is calling us to “be” the presence of Christ?

Read. Respond. Render.

Israel Trip

Israel Trip Day 7: Mass, Sderot & Kibbutz Visit

St. George’s

Sunday morning, we walked to nearby St. George’s Church (Anglican) in Jerusalem for a mass in a side chapel. It was a delight to experience worship in Jerusalem with liturgy. The priest gave an excellent reflection on John the Baptist in the midst of Advent. As we were exiting the church I noticed a large baptistry for immersion baptisms. I have heard of some Anglo-Catholic congregations returning to the ancient practice of immersion and even seen baptistries in Catholic churches.

Sderot & Sderot Media Center

We started our morning in one of the most dangerous locations in Israeli. Near Gaza, on the Israeli side of the boarder, is a small city named Sderot. The location of the town puts it right in the line of rocket fire over head. These rocked attacks started in 2001. Homemade rockets are fired from Gaza over into Israeli controlled land. The city lives in constant fear. If there is a rocket attack there is a 15 second siren warning the public to get to a bomb shelter immediately. Public bomb shelters are above ground at all bus stops.

Our group watching the video that shows how extremists in Gaza build rockets.

Our first stop was the Sderot Media Center. At the media center, we were shown a video describing the struggle in the community. It included a video that featured rebels making shoulder fire rockets. The part of the video showed many children during a community gathering and a rocket attack interrupted the gathering. Children and adults ran in panic to shelters. The footage that followed was disturbing. During the video, the power went out in the media center. This results from damage that the power grid sustains during attacks. The damage is lasting beyond rocket attacks in the form of instability in the power grid. The media center helps share the story and struggle of the people in the city because these stories do not reach many mainstream news outs locally and internationally.

A bomb shelter. Notice the vents. This most likely means there is an underground section in this shelter.

We took a short walk to the police station in the city. As we walked, the local leaders told us that every house in the city has a safe room that can sustain a directed rocket. These rooms costs over $26,000 to construct. In addition, every bus stop (there were many) has an above ground bomb shelter. As we walked. we saw random bomb shelters/safe rooms that dotted the street. It wasn’t clear if these were private or public. Some houses that are two and three stories have safe rooms/bomb shelters on each floor. You can tell what part of the house is a safe room because of shape and yellowish color.

Spent rockets. Notice the different sizes and shapes. The rockets are just made from plumbing pipe.

We walked around to the back of the station to a parking lot of police cars. Against the back wall of the police station, there was a small display of rockets. These rockets were sent from Gaza over the boarder into the city. The rockets were in different states of damage. Some small and some larger. I picked up an early version of these homemade rockets which was small and thin. The display showed that as time went on, the rockets became larger. I couldn’t believe that the rockets were made out of plumbing pipes. Regular pipe. The tail fins of the rockets are welded on and the entire construction is very basic.

Spent rocket.

We took a short trip to the boarder of the city that overlooks Gaza. It became very clear why this city is hit hardest by rocket attacks. The city is the closest population to Gaza.

Looking across the valley into the Gaza Strip.

Later, we rode over the only protected playground in the world, or so we were told. The playground is similar to what you would see in the States. However, there is a large concrete tube shaped and painted to look like a giant worm. This giant worm is a protected bomb shelter. This way, if the alarm goes off children can quickly be protected from rocket attacks. In 2004, during a rocket attack, a rocket killed children walking to school. Since then, play grounds are bright and decorated order to make the spirit of children more hopeful. Because of rocket attacks, there are no windows for early elementary school buildings. This is a protection measure for younger children.

That giant worm is really a bomb shelter.

Kibbutz Nir Am

Later in the day, we traveled to a kibbtuz in Nir Am and met with Avi Kadosh, the Director. The community was found in 1943, by his wife’s family. The complex was destroyed in the war of independence. He joined the kibbutz during his army service. He was born from Hollywood, CA and was called into the draft but left to live and serve in Israel with the army. He met Nina, who he later married.

The kibbutz was on the leading edge of independence because it is so close to Egypt. After the British Mandate, Egypt invaded from the west. Recently, rockets fell on the community during different Gaza conflicts causing damage to buildings and structures. In 2009, the community built safe rooms that can withstand bombardment. The kibbutz is seeing more frequent cycles of engagement between Gaza and the Israeli military.

The buildings and structures on the kibbutz were very nice and modern. We sat in a common café space. They provided refreshments for us and there was an espresso maker behind the counter. I so wanted to ask for a mocha, but I didn’t want to push my luck! The coffee in Israel is spicy. I just wanted an in fashion Italian espresso.

After a long day, we travel to Tel Aviv for the night to rest.

Israel Trip Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4 – Day 5 part I – Day 5 part II – Day 6 – Day 7 – Day 8

Israel Trip

Israel Day Four: Bethlehem

An earlier incomplete post was accidentally published. This is an updated post.

Today was a great day of visits and meetings. It was full of though provoking conversations with leaders.

Our first meeting was with Jack Sara the President of Bethlehem Baptist College. Jack is a Palestinian Christian and is an alum of the school. His perspective of education was through the lens of peace and transformation of the area. He talked about being imprisoned and beaten because of his work with churches and education.

As we sat in the newly built building, he told us how the school was created. With a vision of a Christian college in the area in 1971, a pastor responded joyously that he wanted to help it start with a donation. The pastor quickly gave $20. So with $20, the school was created. Jack is leading a community of Christians who are very hopeful that local people can be transformed through the hope of the Christian message. He also believes that mercy plays an important role in reconciliation conflict in Israel. Christians are a shrinking group in Israel but they are still leading the way for peace and transformation.

It is very reassuring that Baptists are leading the charge in transformational change and education in a place where Christians only make up 2% of the population. The school offers a BA, MA, a program for mass media, and a course of study in tourism guiding. A number of Muslims attend these programs and give people education for a career. Unemployment in Bethlehem is high. Jobs are tough to get.

Christianity

How not to vote on Election Day

Alas, my Facebook and Twitter feeds are blowing up with political jabs that mostly rely on ad-hominem attacks that play into people’s confirmation bias of a candidate.

No candidate is immune from a little ad-hominem attack against their opponent. Unfortunately, some voters like and even enjoy when Facebook posts, media stories, or social pictures vilify a political candidate. And unfortunately, some of these voters call themselves Christians who create or share these messages. Some Christians think they are doing their duty to pass along these ugly messages.

It is really disheartening to see such poor treatment of those who differ in political ideology. My perspective on this election is not about me telling you who you should vote for, but how not to vote: Continue Reading…

dystopia

Why dystopia is in vogue

This past weekend the movie “The Hunger Games” opened to millions of adoring fans. Over 35 million books have been sold in “The Hunger Games” series and the books currently sit atop of Amazon’s best seller list. It seems that our culture is shifting to an interest in dystopia. Almost everyone I talk to who read “The Hunger Games” said they couldn’t put the book down.

Move over Harry Potter and Twilight. You have been replaced.

Dystopian novels and movies are all the rage. But, why now? Isn’t dystopia for sci-fi fans?

One of the major reasons why “The Hunger Games” is so en vogue, much like Harry Potter was, is because people love a good epic battle between the forces of good and evil. Especially, if there are young people involved. Erik Feig, president of production at Lionsgate, the studio behind “The Hunger Games” and “Twilight” sheds light on this type of entertainment:

twitter

I’m Not Sold on Twitter in worship

A variety of news outlets have commented on the growing trend in churches: Twitter Worship. Time, New York Times, and Switched have covered the movement. If you do not know about this trend, I’ll try to explain it in two sentences. Using the social networking site, Twitter, worship attendees interact with the sermon, worship, and music.

Some churches even display “tweets” on their projection screens and the pastor interacts with the micro comments during the sermon. The UMC Board of Discipleship has a good overview of the pros and cons of using twitter and other technology in worship. Even Josh Harris questions the use of Twitter during worship. Despite the popularity of Twittering, many have asked the question, “Is Twittering during worship really worshipful?” I am a pretty technology dependent person, but I’m not sold on Twitter worship.

This is a difficult question to answer because there are some things to consider:

Twittering in worship attracts younger worshippers. A segment of the population that is greatly prized by churches.
A Twitter worship service can attract the unchurched or non-Christians.
Using Twitter creates more of an interactive worship experience, which is something that people want need.
People are quickly becoming more connected through technology, thus connecting through technology can be a way to reach people for Christ
Twittering during worship is encouraging people to be reflective about God.

Churches

Young People Don't Go To Church, or Do They?

There is a common misconception that young people are fleeing churches. So many churches ask, “Where are all the young people?” My friend Rev. Elizabeth Hagen on her blog discussed a similar topic a few weeks ago and gave some great thoughts on understanding young adults. Christianity Today published an article discussing the ministry of Tim Keller of Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City. Most of the article is geared toward Keller’s ministry and his bio. The whole article is great, but the article begins with:

His church, Redeemer Presbyterian, has five crowded Sunday services in three rented locations—Keller dashes between them—with an average total attendance of 5,000. The service at Hunter is the largest, the “tourist service.” (For many years, Redeemer deliberately avoided publicity, but word has spread lately, and Keller estimates that hundreds of out-of-towners show up each Sunday.) Well over 2,000 people—mainly young whites and Asians you would expect to be sleeping off a late Saturday night—have come to this morning’s service.

Wow, “young people” in church… on Sunday morning no less. What is due to this great success? It has got to be a young hip preacher and cool band leading worship. Nope.

Redeemer’s worship is seemly traditional. Instead of using video monitors, casually dressed worshipers follow a 20-page bulletin that includes hymns, prayers, and Bible texts. Organ and a brass quartet lead the music. For evening services, jazz musicians play contemporary Christian songs.

Standing 6’4″, with a bald head, glasses, and a coat and tie, Keller, 58, does not look hip. Nor is his sermon funny, charming, or daring. He preaches from the first chapter of Genesis, on the doctrine of Creation. Keller speaks like a college professor, absorbed in his content, of which there is a lot

worship

Does My Church Look Like a Warehouse?

For the last 20 or 25 years, it has become popular a church to build their worship and ministry space to look like a warehouse or storehouse (or use an actual warehouse). After being a part of three capital improvement projects at three different churches, I have found there is a whole theology to church buildings.

The “Emergent” or “Emerging Church” and ultra contemporary church movement has found that many people are attracted to buildings that do not include religious symbols. And, church buildings should be more utilitarian than religious. Most of the time, building a church in a warehouse is an economical way to do church. Aside from the “store front” church, churches who desire to tone down a worship space do so for marketing reasons. Mega and ultra contemporary churches try to draw in burned out Christians or seekers (the unchurched) who want church to be different than the traditional church service (3 hymns, sermon, and altar call).

Christianity Today wrote an intriguing article about how there is now a reverse trend in trying to attract seekers to churches. The trend seems to be that now seekers and churches are reconsidering what they thought they wanted in a church building. The article cites a survey which states that seekers prefer a church to look like, well… a church. The article reads:

….unchurched adults prefer Gothic church buildings to utilitarian ones, challenging the conventional wisdom that medieval-looking churches feel out-of-touch and stuffy to seekers. LifeWay showed over 1,600 unchurched adults four pictures of church buildings, ranging from mall-like to Gothic. The majority preferred the most ornate church.

Not exactly scientific, but this survey shows that deep down inside, a church’s building says a lot about how the church sees itself regarding theology, evangelism, and Christ. This study came out of LifeWay, the publishing and ministry arm of the Southern Baptist Convention.

It is my firm belief that people want to seek the Divine in church community and in worship. Based on anecdotal evidence, I have found that there is a segment of the church going population, who after several years at a ultra contemporary/mega church, desire to recapture the essence of what it means to worship, learn, live in faith, and fellowship in a congregation that seeks to be more dynamic and deeper in their approach. Over the years, I have been a big fan of Robert Webber, who died recently. Webber who began life as a Baptist and then switched denominations to become an Episcopalian, rediscovered liturgical worship with a contemporary twist. In his book, Ancient-Future Faith he states:

Worship Renewal, then, is not a matter of gimmicks, but the recovery of the Christian vision of reality enacted by the community of God. pg. 32

Then, Webber goes on to say:

In the 1980’s evangelicals sought to neutralize space to make the seeker more comfortable. This worked in the 1980’s but is not the way to go in the postmodern world. The inquirer needs to be immersed within a space that bespeaks the Christian faith. The very narrative of faith which we seek to know and live is symbolically expressed in our space… Space becomes the visual image of the connection between the known and unknown. pg. 108

For Webber, and I agree, worship and our church buildings communicate who God is. Symbols are important. Symbols point to a great reality. The cross is a symbol. The communion table is a symbol. The church is a symbol. If we neutralize a church space, then are we neutralizing the symbol of the church? Postmodernity has indeed reshaped our understanding. Webber addresses the church within postmodernity:

In a postmodern world that has become increasingly interested in communication and space, it will be necessary to feature the relational seating of God people around the symbols of water, the pulpit, and the Table. These are the primary visual images of God’s work in the history of salvation. pg. 108

I have a number of engaged couples who come from other churches looking for a church to get married in because their church does not “look” like a church. They do not worship in a traditional looking church, but they want to get married in one. That just shows how our culture is evolving and how Christians view worship space.

Churches and pastors should resist the empty showy gimmicks and trendy ideas about church and worship. Instead, we must seek to put a theology behind our church and church buildings instead of only relying on marketing tactics. There is a richness contained in the 2,000 years of worship, teaching, and theology that the church mothers and fathers have given to us. There is nothing “wrong” with a contemporary church that meets in a warehouse, but the trend of the lack of Christian symbols and lack of focus upon theologically centered worship space is troubling. When churches are able, they should think about building or obtaining a worship space that reflects Christian theology. I should make it clear that many people have come to Christ in these trendy churches and these churches are meeting a need. But, at some point, people are going to want more than flashy lights, loud bands, and Starbucks.

What do you think?

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