What’s the primary point of connection in your church? Is it the weekend service? This is a no-brainer question in most 21st century Western churches. The primary way a person is connected is to the Sunday morning worship service (or Saturday night) of a particular local church.
Hear me on this. I’m not suggesting that is a legitimate point of connection. I’m only saying that the weekend worship service is the primary point of connection (weak though the connection is) for most members and attenders in our churches.
With me? Isn’t that how it is in your church?
I realize that’s how it is for many, many people in our churches. And I realize that it’s difficult to imagine it any other way.
Still, I think it’s important to note two things:
1. The primary point of connection in the 1st century wasn’t a weekend service. It was a group that met in a house (or by a river). I love Andy Stanley’s line that the primary activity of the early church was one-anothering one another and when everyone is sitting in rows…you can’t do any one-anothers.”
2. The primary point of connection in the mid-21st century won’t be a weekend service. The time is quickly approaching when it will be much easier to say “come over” to my house or “meet me at Starbucks” than “come with” me to church. In some parts of the Western world it is already happening.
Peter Drucker famously pointed out that, “Tomorrow is closer than you think.” William Gibson pointed out that, “The future is already here. It’s just not evenly distributed.”
I’m not suggesting that you make one abrupt move to a group as primary point of connection, but I’d be remiss if I knew it was coming and remained silent. And so will you. Tag … you’re it.
