Today after church we went to a presentation about a new church launch from our current church. It will be about 5 miles away…. and it will be dual purpose… restaurant-church. An amazing concept. The point is to reach the 80% of people in our area who will never go to a church-church. It gave me a flashback to when I was seven years old and my dad taught a college and career Sunday School class in a steak house. I’m not sure what instigated that move? Too few rooms at the church, perhaps. But this is so much more out of the box than that.
The restaurant will be staffed with volunteers who are there to serve their community. Tips will not be accepted. And get this, on the menu under each item it will state where 10% of the cost will be going for a missions project. So, order the Pollo Fundido and 10% of the cost goes toward building houses in Mexico for the poor. Order the soft drinks and/or bottled water and 10% of the cost goes to fund wells in Africa. Isn’t that the best? It’s not just a restaurant for adults either…. next door there will be a kids “check-in” center where the kids will eat and play and learn…. yes, all staffed with volunteers.
Yes, some Sundays the restaurant will be used for a service, but not an old-school service like our grandparents enjoyed. Big screens with video messages. No pews. No stained glass. THEN, if that isn’t enough, they are thinking of having the church closed one Sunday a month so the members can take a family from their neighborhood out to lunch… and BE the church. They even went as far as saying to use your tithe that week to pay for lunch. I know. I’m processing it all too.
They also are going to have man-church. Sunday afternoons…. with sports games on the big screens. No women allowed. A guest pro-player of some sport or another will come and chat at them boys for 15 minutes. My husband was sold on that point alone. I think he’s assuming there will be a remote for everyone. Probably not.
The plan for the missions outreach is to invite frequent burrito eaters to come FREE and help build a house in Mexico…. see the church in action. I love it!
Do you think it will work to reach the masses?
Tags: be the church, church launch, man church, missions, new church, out of the box, restaurant launch
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