So much of growth and development is measured by physical attributes, but when it comes to the church our focus needs to be different. Christlikeness is not primarily measured by things that can be – well – measured. The growth that God is looking for is the growth of people who better reflect the character of his Son, Jesus. Paul stated in Ephesian 4:13 and Colossians 1:28 that Jesus Christ is the measure of success for the gospel of grace ministry in the believer.
The church is likened to a vine – living, growing, and fruit-bearing. That is the focus of the ministry. But a healthy vine has a trellis upon which to grow. The trellis represents the structure, system, and schedule of the organization. The apostles, for example, delegated logistical administration in Acts 6. Paul left Titus in Crete to “put what remained in order” (Titus 1:5).
As Grace Bible Church (the vine) grows, there are some “trellis” matters that need to be addressed – matters of adequate space and helpful proximity. Let me explain. First, our auditorium is too small. We constantly use two overflow sections, the aisles in the auditorium are inordinately narrow, and a foyer is nearly non-existent. Second, the nursery – besides being too small – is about as far away from the auditorium as it can get. This is a bit discouraging for young families. Third, our “fellowship hall” (a.k.a. “Room 5”) is woefully inadequate AND the kitchen is about as far away from Room 5 as it can get – upstairs. One might think the design was a cruel joke. But, alas, it was not. Our auditorium was originally designed as a fellowship hall with the kitchen next to it.
Just so you know, the board is acting on these “trellis” issues. We are currently in communication with an architect – in fact, we have resurrected the conversation from back in January, before the merger conversation started. Our goal is to address the three issues above that have been clearly and repeatedly communicated to us, but to do so simply and affordably. We learned from the building exploration four years ago that the church is supportive of building when we have the funds to do so.
That, however, may not be our only option. There are becoming more church buildings (and others) available that could potentially be repurposed for our use. Of course, location and condition are key factors in this option, but it is not outside the realm of possibility. We welcome the opportunity to consider recommendations.
This is a matter for the church to keep before the Father’s throne of grace. Let us not presume that we can figure this out on our own without the Spirit’s aid. Remember the Lord’s admonition, “You do not have because you do not ask” (James 4:2). Let us seek the Lord together as we purpose to steward the trellis to support a healthy, growing vine.
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