The Church Where Nobody Lives

I had a meeting a couple of days ago in a neighboring city in Metro Vancouver. As I drove to my meeting, I passed a church building - it was set off from the high-way, and quite isolated. There were no other buildings anywhere near this church, no houses, no offices, no schools... nothing.

I realized this isn't the first time I had seen this before. I have seen this same phenomenon in Saskatoon, Regina and another city in Metro Vancouver - and all of the same denomination.That is - church buildings built far far away from any visible civilization, some even built outside city boundaries!

Now - I understand the logic behind it - buying land is much cheaper the further you move out from a city center. Land that is not particularly desirable is cheaper. But - is this right?

I would argue that it is wrong. Why in the world would you locate your church where nobody lives? Jesus came to the people, he didn't expect the people to come to him. We have been sent out into the world: into.... the world.

That means we go to where people live, shop and work - we don't build buildings on cheap land in order to sustain our own exilic colonies. If you are part of a faith community, or you are a pastor - please consider what I am saying - go to the people. Embed yourself in the life and rhythm of the city you are in.

I have done this in the last 2 churches I pastored in. I have led churches that have met in night-clubs, coffee shops, downtown apartment lobbies, townhouse common rooms, community halls and a civic theater.

Don't plant your church where nobody lives. Its kind of dumb.

Comments

David Warkentin said…
I would tend to agree. The process of acquiring land and buildings is bewildering, often couched in the language "stewardship" not mission.

It's interesting, because many of those isolated churches - I think I can guess the denomination :-) - are the most "successful" in the area. Makes you wonder how churches buy into commuter culture and what measures of success we're accepting as the norm.
12:04 PM
Santosh said…
Of the churches I mentioned - all 4 would not what we would consider "successful" - 2 of them have smaller sanctuaries that are not full and 2 have very large buildings - but their numbers have dwindled so much in recent years that there is an eerie feeling being in such a large building with so few people.
12:16 PM
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