We Bought a Factory
Our vision is simple. We desire to be a debt free church who pours more money into missions and community ministries than we spend on ourselves. The lesson God taught us is to fulfill the vision we must make efficient use of space. We accepted the challenge and bought a factory. We will remodel as the funds become available. Every space we create will be versatile. We will not dedicate any one space to a single use. Our offices are classrooms. Our auditorium is a fellowship hall. For the first two years our senior adults used a space during one hour, the preschool occupied it the next. What a metaphor of regeneration! Nothing is convenient. Everything is symbiotic. It requires constant change.
Another critical component to our vision is the understanding that we cannot build every space we need. If we are going to be a debt free church, we must keep our operating expenses relatively low. We encourage our people to start classes in homes, businesses, trees, large automobiles, the beds of pickup trucks - any place you can gather with other believers and study God’s Word. This is why I appreciate my church.
Over the last two years God has not only transformed the thinking of the people who made the move with us, but He has blessed us with new members of the family who are attracted to the vision. Our people study the Bible next to copiers, in warehouses, in cubicles, in living rooms, on Tuesdays, in the morning, in the evening, on Sundays, any day, anywhere, anytime. I love it and I love our people for it. They move chairs. They have no sacred storage closets. They are creative with space. Even over the last few weeks more people have opened their homes. Each time this happens the facilities of the church expand, we gain space, without driving a nail or spending a dollar. Each den, kitchen table, and living room gets us closer to accomplishing our vision.
Three weeks ago we created a new space. At this point it is just a sectioned off area of the warehouse. The walls are painted up to 15’, the floors are concrete, every class uses moveable petitions. The first group to move into this space was the senior adult department. There were no negative vibes. They were glad to have new space. This space is used four times on Sundays and it houses our AWANA program on Wednesday night. It is very plain, but it is full of kids, full of adults, full of life. It is in constant flux, constant change, it is always moving. No one complains. I love our people!
I appreciate you RBC. You are a wonderful family of faith. I love serving you as pastor.
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