Tomorrow is Sunday and I cannot wait. Last Sunday as church was dismissing, person after person kept telling me, “See you next Sunday!” I’m not used to the church only gathering together once a week. I’m used to meeting mid-week as well. I’m used to feeding 55-75 people every Wednesday. I’m used to doing a ‘devotion’ after dinner.
We’re going to pass around a paper in church the next couple of weeks to see how many people might be receptive to a Wednesday night dinner and devotion here. We have to figure out a way to get together mid-week. Could we have a Bible Study or prayer group? Sure. If we were only interested in a half dozen faithful Christians attending then a prayer group or Bible Study would be perfect. But if our goal is to gather as many Believers and non-Believers as possible, we need a different method. I love the phrase, “Same Message – Different Method”. Bible Studies and prayer meetings no longer appeal to most Christians, and certainly won’t draw in the unchurched. But a dinner that you don’t have to bring anything, simply showing up after a day of work, not worrying about what’s for dinner? That can be appealing – to Believers and not yet Believers. And then most will stay for an informal talk about all kinds of things related to Jesus and the church and the community and the world.
My goal is to begin Wednesday night dinners at Wesley Chapel UMC on July 31. Perhaps in a few weeks, people will begin saying, “See you Wednesday.” And just as importantly, we will have some not yet Believers joining us.
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