Church Growth

Preaching in the Storefront…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 2 Comments

Yup! I preach in a storefront every week. Who would have thought after over 30 years in ministry that I’d end up in a storefront church? Well, apparently the Lord thought it because here I am.

Haughton Methodist Church (the church I began pastoring late last year) meets in a rented storefront. Well, actually the building was originally a church that outgrew the facility. It was converted to an office building and was used as such for the last couple of decades.

I must say the rented storefront is much better than the rented hotel room the congregation used for the better part of nine months. I gotta give props to the faithful in the congregation who were committed enough to set up and tear down that hotel room week in and week out. That’s a lot of work and a lot of commitment.

Of course, Haughton Methodist Church was meeting in the hotel room (and now the rented storefront) due to its disaffiliation from the United Methodist Church. Well, not really disaffiliation. They missed that boat for reasons I won’t go into, but suffice it to say, they walked away from their property…just threw the Louisiana Annual Conference the keys…and began the journey as nomads. I applaud the congregation’s faith and faithfulness. It’s one reason I’m blessed to serve them as pastor.

Preaching in a storefront has really had me thinking and praying about a strategy for the congregation moving forward. That part of being a pastor hasn’t left me. In my contemplation, research and prayer, I’ve discovered there are a few advantages to meeting in a rented storefront. I thought I’d share a few of those with you today.

Financial Flexibility

The first (and perhaps major) benefit of renting a storefront for church meetings is the financial flexibility it provides. Establishing a permanent church building requires significant upfront capital for purchase or construction, not to mention ongoing maintenance, utilities, and other operational costs.

I did a little investigating and discovered the congregation’s old facility is listed for sale by the Annual Conference for $445,000.00 (you can check it out here). That’s a lot of money to a small congregation like ours! If someone wanted to purchase it and gift it back to the congregation, now that’s a conversation we’d be open to!

For a small or growing church, this financial burden can be overwhelming and will divert resources from ministry programs, outreach, or other crucial areas. Renting a storefront, on the other hand, often provides a more affordable alternative. The monthly rental cost is predictable and easier to manage, allowing us to allocate our resources to other vital areas such as outreach efforts or mission work.

Additionally, renting avoids the long-term financial commitment and debt associated with owning property, offering us the flexibility to adjust as our needs evolve. Hey? We’ve got a one-year lease. That gives us time to discern God’s next steps for the congregation.

Visibility and Accessibility

Another benefit that a storefront location can offer is significantly more visibility and accessibility than a traditional church building, particularly if the church is situated in a busy commercial area like ours. There’s not a lot of foot traffic where we’re located, but we get great exposure to passing drivers, and our proximity to local businesses makes our storefront church a visible part of the community.

We’re located right next door to an oil change shop, which I find incredibly ironic, but that’s for another blog.

I’m praying this increased visibility can attract new visitors who might not have otherwise considered attending church, whether due to curiosity or the convenience of being located near their place of work, shopping, or living.

Community Engagement

A third advantage (should we choose to capitalize on it) to renting a storefront can be an intentional decision to engage with the surrounding community. Unlike churches housed in large, traditional buildings that may be tucked away in suburban areas, a storefront church is situated in the heart of the local community.

This proximity offers numerous opportunities for interaction with people who may not otherwise step foot inside a traditional church building. Church members can become familiar faces in the neighborhood, and the church itself can become known for its commitment to the well-being of the community.

I’ve already made several visits to the neighboring oil change facility to carry left over treats from our fellowship time. I hope to build an on-going relationship with those guys.

Additionally, I can see our storefront offering opportunities to host events, activities, and programs that reach a wide array of people. Whether it’s offering after-school programs, hosting community events, or providing social services like food banks or job training, a storefront church can effectively serve as a community hub.

Because of its location in a commercial area, a storefront church is more likely to attract people who are not actively seeking a church but may be drawn to the church’s services or outreach activities. This creates a sense of accessibility and relevance, positioning the church as an integral part of the community rather than as a separate entity.

Adaptability

Renting a storefront gives our congregations the ability to remain adaptable and flexible in our growth and development. As we grow, our needs will change, and our storefront offers us the flexibility to move to a larger or different location when necessary.

Unlike a permanent building, a storefront will allow us to scale up or down based on attendance, financial health, and ministry priorities. This adaptability is especially beneficial for us in what I’m calling “our formative years.” It will allow us to respond quickly to changing circumstances without being tied to a long-term commitment.

Furthermore, our storefront landlord has given us some flexibility in changing our layout as growth and needs dictate. Our storefront can be customized to suit the needs of the congregation and community. Unlike traditional church buildings, which often have fixed architectural features such as pews, stained glass windows, or large sanctuaries, storefront spaces are usually more neutral and open.

This gives us the freedom to design our space according to our unique vision and style. Whether it’s creating an inviting, contemporary worship space or setting up an area for fellowship and community gatherings, a storefront can be easily adapted to accommodate various church activities.

A Final Thought

As I’ve had time to pray and reflect on our situation at Haughton Methodist Church, I’ve discerned that being in a storefront is both practical and strategic. It’s a choice that can support our long-term growth and success (even more than getting our old property back).

Ultimately, the success of our congregation will not be defined by the building we meet in, but by the relationships we foster, the ministries we engage in, and the impact we have on our community.

So, if you’re in Bossier Parish, Caddo Parish or Webster Parish, and you’ve never considered the possibility of worshipping in a storefront, why don’t you join us at Haughton Methodist Church. We’d love to have you on this incredible journey!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Palm Sunday Ponderings…

/ pastorlynnmalone / Leave a comment

It is Palm Sunday. You know what that means? Yes, it is marked as the day Jesus made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem before His arrest, crucifixion and resurrection. It is such a pivotal moment in Jesus’s life that all four Gospel accounts mark the event (Matthew 21: 1-11; Mark 11: 1-11; Luke 19: 28-40; John 12: 12-19).

You know what else it means? It means that Lent is almost over! As I’ve mentioned before, this has been a challenging Lenten season for me and I can’t wait for Easter Sunday. The season began without much fanfare for me. I was quite willing to let it pass without much notice. The Lord had other plans. It’s been a good Lent, albeit a very challenging one.

The challenges of the Lenten season have been numerous, and this past week has been no different. The Lord has particularly challenged me in the area of prayer this week. I think I’ve discerned that in this season of the Church’s life, the greatest need is for prayer warriors.

The Church doesn’t need CEO’s and entrepreneurs. It needs prayer warriors. The Church has tried the CEO/Entrepreneur model (really since the 1970’s and the emergence of the Church Growth Movement). As was its purpose, the CGM got the Church a lot of megachurches. The CGM is proof that strategies work. It also go the Church a lot of Christian celebrities and celebrity pastors. I’m not knocking the CGM. I was on that train for a long time. I rode that train until it ran ME out of steam. Now, I think the steam is finally running out of that train for the Church.

Though the CGM got the Church a lot of megachurches and celebrity pastors, it also got the Church declining attendance and fewer disciples who are willing to take up their cross and follow Jesus in the way of surrender and sacrifice. There are some who will blame the free fall in church attendance on the Covid pandemic, but I suggest the pandemic only hastened what was clearly already taking place in the life of the Church. CEO’s and Entrepreneurs cannot sustain the Church. They were never intended to. Though megachurches do show up in many places around the world, they are a uniquely western invention.

The Church (and the world) are in desperate need of revival. Revival always starts with prayer, thus the greatest need of the Church in this culture is for prayer warriors. The Church needs leaders who pray–both lay and clergy. Leaders who pray will bring change to the Church, and the Lord will use the Church to change the world. That’s been His plan from the beginning.

Makes me ask the question “How many churches have a prayer ministry?” When I say prayer ministry, I’m not talking about a prayer group that meets and prays over the prayer requests that come into the congregation. I am NOT discounting the need for that type of ministry, nor am I denying there is power in that type of prayer. Unfortunately, most of those type of groups (and most of that type of prayer) are really just gossip sessions disguised as prayer groups. There is some value in praying for Aunt Sally’s ingrown toenail or Uncle Joe’s gout, but that is not the prayer that will change the world.

When I say prayer, I mean gathering for an intentional time of seeking God’s face…of the people of God asking God what His will is, asking the Lord for His vision, gathering to actually hear from the Lord. I mean the people of God coming together to confess their sin (individually and collectively) and to repent before Him publicly so that grace and forgiveness is sought and found so that the way is cleared for a fresh invasion of the Holy Spirit can bring clarity and direction to His people concerning His vision.

How about a prayer meeting where we pray for boldness to proclaim the Gospel? How about a prayer meeting where we pray for the Lord to put people in our path who need healing and salvation? How about a prayer meeting where we read one verse of Scripture and then sit silently for an hour pondering that singular passage to hear what the Lord wants us to hear?

Yeah! That would probably be too uncomfortable for too many people. But, hey! We’ll never grow until we get out of our comfort zone. Just as our physical muscles won’t grow until we push past what we think are our limits, so our spiritual muscles won’t grow until we push past what is comfortable and easy.

I’ve lived with a great amount of conviction over this Lenten season as I’ve reflected on my own participation in and leadership of prayer group gossip sessions. I need to repent for that. I hope I have repented for that. Prayer in my congregation won’t change until prayer changes in me. Revival won’t come to the Church until revival comes in me.

So, my prayer is for revival to come…to the Church and to the culture…but first, let revival come to me. Let me pray to hear the voice of God. Let me pray for boldness to proclaim the Gospel. Let me pray for people in my path who need Jesus. Let me pray for a revival in me. Let me pray for a transformation in my attitudes and desires and priorities. Then, perhaps I can begin to pray for each of those for the Church and the culture.

The Church and our culture…our world…are in desperate need of revival. So am I! The Church and our world are in desperate need of prayer warriors who will pray for the same. I pray I can become one of those warriors. Do you have the guts to pray the same prayer?

And you thought this was going to be a blog about Palm Sunday. Silly you!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Confessions of a Seeker-Sensitive Pastor…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

I came to vocational ministry in 1991. The Church Growth Movement and “seeker-sensitive” churches were all the rage as I began my journey in obedience to God’s calling. I was young, inexperienced and on-fire for the Lord. All I wanted was to see people come to Jesus and see the Church grow. I didn’t know any better. I saw what the “big” churches were doing, so that’s what I tried to do. I read all the books, attended the seminars and watched all the videos (VHS in those days!). I embraced the “seeker-sensitive” model wholeheartedly. What did I know?

What is a “seeker sensitive” church? The “seeker-sensitive” church tries to reach out to the unsaved person by making the church experience as comfortable, inviting, and non-threatening as possible. The idea behind the concept is to get as many unsaved people through the door as possible, and to use nearly any means to accomplish that goal. We can’t have unsaved (or saved) people getting bored, so we need to use theatrics and popular music to keep their attention (yes, been there, done that). Gotta’ have that state-of-the-art technology, lighting and great sound equipment if you’re going to do the job correctly.

A lot of churches became very large (and some very quickly) using the “seeker sensitive” model. One of the first was Willow Creek Church in Illinois. Many “mega-churches” grew to become megachurches following the model. I won’t name more here simply because I don’t want my confessions to reflect negatively on any other pastor or any other congregation. That’s not what this post is about.

So? What is this post about? I suppose it’s more about my failure as a pastor as I pursued the “seeker sensitive” approach to ministry, and it’s about unpacking a maturing theology of the church. Maybe it’s just because I’m old and old-fashioned and I’m just tired of trying to make people comfortable in church. Just call me the curmudgeon pastor. That seems to be what I am these days. Maybe it’s because I’m reflecting on Psalm 95 today:

1 Come, let us sing to the Lord!
    Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
2 Let us come to him with thanksgiving.
    Let us sing psalms of praise to him.
3 For the Lord is a great God,
    a great King above all gods.
4 He holds in his hands the depths of the earth
    and the mightiest mountains.
5 The sea belongs to him, for he made it.
    His hands formed the dry land, too.

6 Come, let us worship and bow down.
    Let us kneel before the Lord our maker,
7     for he is our God.
We are the people he watches over,
    the flock under his care.

If only you would listen to his voice today!
8 The Lord says, “Don’t harden your hearts as Israel did at Meribah,
    as they did at Massah in the wilderness.
9 For there your ancestors tested and tried my patience,
    even though they saw everything I did.
10 For forty years I was angry with them, and I said,
‘They are a people whose hearts turn away from me.
    They refuse to do what I tell them.’
11 So in my anger I took an oath:
    ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’”

Psalm 95 (NLT)

For a lot of my ministry, my mentality was, “Let’s just get them to church and they’ll meet Jesus along the way.” Some did. Most, unfortunately, did not. The problem (as I reflect back on over 30 years of ministry) is that the things I did to attract them, I thought I had to continue doing to keep them. And, it always had to be bigger and better the next time. Gotta’ keep up with the times, after all. Hey? If we wanted to be the big church down the street, we needed to act like the big church down the street.

Being a young and passionate (but totally immature) pastor, I thought it was all about getting people in the door so we could introduce them to Jesus Christ. I’ve used a statement many times before that encapsulates this philosophy: The Church is the only organization that exists for those who aren’t there yet. Wow! Can I see the immaturity now (but, hindsight is 20/20, right?). There is a foundational flaw that can really cause the whole building to crumble in that philosophy.

The Church doesn’t exist for those who aren’t there yet. The Church exists for God and God alone! Let’s get that straight. Disciples of Jesus Christ gather as the body of Christ to worship…worship Him by bringing a sacrifice of praise and to offer Him adoration for who He is and what He has done and is doing. He alone is worthy of our praise and the church’s worship should be a sweet-smelling aroma ascending to the throne of God each and every time we gather. That’s what the “seeker” needs to experience each and every time they enter the sanctuary.

Worship is what makes the church different from the world. It is what sets us apart from the world. Invite an unbeliever to “worship” with pop music and a sound and light show, they’re apt to think, well, there’s not much different here from what I get out there. Just a few mentions of God thrown in is about all. Oh, that and a self-help, motivational speech masquerading as a sermon.

A “seeker” can’t bring a level of sacrifice to church. A seeker can bring questions. A seeker can bring doubts. A seeker can bring skepticism. But, a seeker cannot bring worship to the gathered body. And, don’t get me wrong. That’s perfectly okay. They’re not supposed to!

They are, however, supposed to see the body of Christ offering their sacrifice. In so doing, they experience an awesomeness that is missing from the rest of their lives. They capture a glimpse of the holy…and the Holy One…that is too often missing from the broken world in which they spend most of their daily life. It is then that they begin to explore deeper avenues of faith, and hopefully come to know Christ in a saving and life-changing way. Worship itself becomes a converting experience.

Worship becomes witness. That’s a phrase I like better these days. Another phrase that has meaning for me these days is this–The Church gathers for worship and scatters for witness. The conjunction “and” in that last phrase carries a lot of weight. It is in the “and” that the church must build its discipleship model. I don’t want to unpack what a church’s discipleship model should look like (this post is already too long), but suffice it to say that every congregation must have in place a process of moving a new convert from new believer to mature disciple of Jesus Christ.

So, let me repent of my desire to grow large churches. Let me repent of my desire to attract great crowds. Let me repent of my failure to understand the nature of my task as a pastor/preacher. Let me repent of the times I’ve tried to tickle ears to hold the attention of the gathered body (whether believer or seeker). Let me repent of the gimmicks (I actually gave away a cruise once) and gadgets I’ve employed to attract non-believers.

Let me, instead, lead worship that brings glory to God alone. Let me worship in a way that witnesses to the awesome nature and power of the God of the universe who made Himself known in Jesus Christ. Let me lead worship that becomes witness to the wanderer and the seeker. Let me lead worship that becomes a converting experience for all of us. Let me proclaim with boldness the Word of God. Let me help a congregation build a model of discipleship that leads us all into a more intimate relationship with Jesus and with one another, and empowers us to boldly share the Gospel of Jesus with a lost a hurting world. Let me lead worship that compels us to scatter for witness.

Oh, that is my prayer, Lord. Let it be so!

Until next time, keep looking up…

Disciples Discipling Disciples (Or, Starting with “Why?”, Part 5)…

/ pastorlynnmalone / 1 Comment

By now, you’re saying, “Enough already! Is why you’re starting The House Church Movement all you have to write about?” This will be the last blog I write that deals with the “why” of house church (or, at least MY why). 

Photo courtesy of the PCAJesus gave a very simple mission to His church immediately before His ascension–go make disciples (Matthew 28: 18-20). I wonder how such a simple mission has gained so much complexity over the centuries. Jesus’ first disciples were told to disciple others, and the only example they had was Jesus. In Luke 9 and Matthew 10, we find Jesus going house-to-house throughout Galilee and Judea, and then Jesus telling his disciples to do the same. The Book of Acts certainly confirms this model of ministry.

The Apostle Paul, in writing his letters to the early church, wrote to churches that were meeting in homes, and the instructions he gave them were given with this model in mind. The concept of spiritual gifting was given to the Church with the understanding that the gifts of believers would be lived out in the community of faith–the house church.

A word of clarity, though. The Apostle Paul would use the word for church when referring to both the individual house churches and the gathered body, so using the one does not detract from the other. Again, I’m not anti-institutional (the fact that I keep mentioning that does make me wonder a little though). Wherever the body of Christ gathers, there is the Church.

Unfortunately, the “gifts” for ministry became formalized as the Church grew and transitioned from a house-based movement to the more “traditional” model we know today throughout most of the west. Pastors, teachers, evangelist, et. al., became church professionals. In the early church, there was a team of leaders–bishops, pastors, elders–who led the church in making disciples. Now, we depend on professional staff teams to lead us, and the individual giftedness of disciples is underutilized in the Kingdom economy.

The Apostle Paul was very specific in writing to the early church at Ephesus about the role of leaders in the church. He wrote:

11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up … (Ephesians 4: 11 – 12, NIV).

Each of these giftings were given by Christ Himself for the building up of His church, and the most fruitful discipleship model utilizes these gifts in their fullness to increase the Kingdom. This is the model wherein disciples disciple disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission Christ gave to His Church.

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church that “to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7).  He lists many different gifts that the Spirit gives to believers for the sake of the body. Then he explains how every part of the body is needed, and that we must be careful to not start to develop a mindset that some gifts are more necessary than others.  Does every single believer in a church realize that they are just as needed and important as anyone else in the church? Or do they tend to think that the preacher and worship leader are more important?

The House Church Movement is designed to create space for everyone in the body to contribute in the meetings and in everyday life.  The “pastor’s” is not the only voice that needs to be heard.  Long monologue sermons are not meant to be the norm in house church meetings because no one person should dominate things.

Everyone is called to make disciples.  We are all called to share the gospel with non-believers in hopes that they would follow Jesus. We are all called to take responsibility for the spiritual care of other believers.  But discipleship is hard and messy.  It involves intentionally getting to know someone, having hard conversations when sin is evident, working through conflict, and spending extra time with them when life gets hard.

The temptation in the church has been to replace discipleship with programs.  If there is a married couple struggling, we suggest they read a book, enroll in a marriage class, or go on a retreat.  Discipleship means having an older couple who loves Jesus to come alongside of them and do life with them through life’s challenges.  Though marriage retreats, classes and seminars can be helpful, we hide behind them and ignore our responsibility to make disciples. It’s not that these programs are bad, but they run the risk of undermining what is best and most important. We end up trading the best for the good.

In The House Church Movement, the pastors are not responsible for discipling everyone, but rather they will each disciple a few and then ensure that those disciples are also discipling a few.  And for those who are new to the faith, though they might not be fully responsible for the spiritual care of another person, they will be actively engaged in evangelistic efforts and be trained to take responsibility for others.

The House Church Movement, with its small, intimate, intentional group of believers provides no room to hide.  Each person’s life is consistently before someone else.  It means that each person is expected to be transparent with a few other believers about the things they would hide, while those believers walk with them through healing, repentance, and believing the promises of God.  There shouldn’t be any room for people just “attend church” when everyone is being discipled for life and ministry.

Discipleship is taking responsibility for the spiritual care of somebody else. It doesn’t mean you’re the only one invested in that person, but it does mean you should be aware of what’s going on in that person’s life. Discipleship is life on life. Discipleship doesn’t happen with coffee dates once a week. You need to be around each other and observe each other’s lives almost daily.

Disciples discipling disciples. It can be messy work, indeed! But, it can also be the most fulfilling and transformative work a disciple can ever do. It’s another reason I feel called to lead The House Church Movement.

So, there you have it. The five reasons I feel called to do this new thing. Now, maybe we can move on to something else.

Until next time, keep looking up…