THE BLESSINGS OF SET-UP

Checking out that church building that's for sale, a couple of days ago, has me chasing the whole building issue through my mind.

I'm trying to find the answer to a few of major questions.

How much more can we do to fulfil our mission with a building than we are currently doing without one?

Is that sufficient return to be willing to commit to a multi-million dollar project?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a building?

Whenever I ask that third question, the first reply is generally - You won't have to do all the set-up and breakdown. I've been thinking about that and have come to the conclusion that having to set everything up on a Sunday morning is not necessarily a bad thing. There are some blessings to setting up.

1. It provides an opportunity for service to a lot of people.

2. Those people then become a part of making things happen and take ownership of the church and its mission.

3. You don't have to be a super-Christian to get involved in set-up. We have a number of young Christians and not-yet-Christians involved as well as mature believers.

4. It is a good time to develop relationships - we laugh a lot.

5. There is immediate gratification. You do a job and as soon as you have finished, people are enjoying it.

6. You get the first pickings at our Big Screen Cafe!

I honestly don't believe it is a bad thing. And by the way, for any skeptics who may visit here, I'm part of that elite group of twenty five or thirty people who will be there way before anyone else tomorrow morning.

It'll be dark and frosty when I leave home tomorrow - and I love it!