Random Church Tour of '08

On the way back from Molly and Aber's, Dave and I decided to stop at Willow Creek Community Church right outside of Chicago. Dave had never been there, and I hadn't been since before their new building campaign. 

Observations:

• It's big - TOO big. When your church is in its design phase and you start talking about escalators, you need to back that truck up and re-evaluate your situation. Escalators?
• They're proactive with guests. We had people saying hello in the lobby and a very friendly usher talk to us at length.
• They're obsessed with growth. The main pastor talked about filling their new place to capacity. They also planted a church in downtown Chicago.
• They put on a MAJOR production. I can't even describe it. It makes Grace seem like a Sunday service at the local monastery.
• They have multiple campuses, even with that huge facility. It was probably 80% full at at the 5:30pm Saturday service.

Then, we stopped at Granger Community Church in Granger (South Bend), Indiana. 

Observations:

• They don't pressure guests. Heck, they don't even acknowledge them. I stood in the lobby looking up at the ceiling with a confused face for literally five minutes while Dave was getting coffee and no one said a word to me. When we tried to turn in a guest card at the end of the service, the info desk guy looked as though we had handed him a live grenade. "Ummm...sure...I guess...yeah...I can take this."
• They value the younger generation. I knew it as soon as I saw the tube slides for kids to enter their lower level classrooms. I fully believed it after I read it in the bulletin and heard the pastor talk about it.
• They believe in innovation, but not for it's own sake. They innovate so people will be able to understand that Jesus loves them. I know that because the Pastor said it in his sermon.
• They value creativity. Everything from their building design to the double projectors pointed at each screen told me that they let their people dream.
• They want people to love Jesus. That is the #1 thing I took away from the service.

What does this mean for me, as a Christ follower, and my church? I don't fully know, but I have some thoughts:

• Jesus' renown needs to be our #1 priority (and people need to KNOW that).
• We need to value the younger generations. They might be the future, but the future is now. We need to get on it. 
• It's OK to be creative and use different art forms to connect with God. 
• I've always struggled with my quality of work, but honestly, visiting both of these churches made me realize that I am actually a contender. I know that's a weird way to put it. I felt encouraged that I didn't see anything that I didn't already do, or couldn't do.  The same God who gives these people inspiration is available to us. Why wouldn't it be just as good?
• Every community is different. Each community is made up of people who are different. We can't (and shouldn't) try to duplicate something being done without making sure it fits "us."