This last week I purchased for our Church a new banner! As those of you know who attend the Church, we don't get to put a banner up for our Church until Friday afternoon. By Sunday night that banner has to be down. Since our building looks more like a government office building than a Church and cannot be seen very easily from the street, this can make it difficult to find us.
Without "good signage" can a Church survive? Please see Jesus' answer.
2 comments:
Is there any distinction between these two capacities ("build"/"bind") for those redeemed in Christ?
Verse 18:"I[/Jesus] will build my church"...
Verse 19:"Whatever you bind"...
Sounds similar to the distinction between the harvest and the workers (e.g. Luke 10:2).
If we say that no signs are needed (that people would know to gather regardless of a sign), then we would also refrain from approaching anyone with the verbal gospel. Rebuke me if I'm wrong or unclear, but scripture (e.g. Romans 10:14) is quite contrary. We have been given Good News through Jesus Christ and sent to share that Good News that others might believe. That might mean (by the Holy Spirit, provided in God's grace through Christ) opening our mouths in public, knocking on the door of someone's home, or hanging an invitation banner at the bottom of a congregation's driveway. Christ built the Church and he will use his Church to build the kingdom of heaven. Praise the Father, Son and Holy Spirit!
First of all, I'd like to point out that I'm pro-sign if for anything to let people know that there is a Church that gathers in that location.
But is the Church limited in its ability to minister effectively to the community without a good sign, or no sign at all? Maybe a tiny bit, but the Church's power is not in how it's marketed. The Church ministers to the community not through marketing, but through loving service to our neighbor, and the proclamation of Jesus' kingdom. Those are the true signs to the world that there is a community of people that follow a different Ruler.
To my knowledge the early Church most likely had no signage to speak of except there words and deeds. Through these "signs", the world was "turned upside down."
Flyers are fine, and banners are nice. There may be some out there that see the sign and are made curious about what's going on inside, but nothing comes close to the daily humble obedience of the lambs of Christ's flock to draw people to our Shepherd.
Soli Deo Gloria!
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