WHY DO WE DO THAT?, Part 7
Q: Why don't we pass the offering plate?
A few years back a survey was done that asked people who did not attend church why they didn't attend. Here were their top answers:
1. All they want is my money
2. It's irrelevant
3. I don't trust the childcare
4. It's boring
Guess what? For the most part, they were right. During the time this survey was taken, we were at the height of the televangelist craze, where far too many greedy charlatans were painting the church in the worst way possible.
At Crosspoint, we've tried to address every one of those indictments of the church and build bridges rather than walls.
As to the charge that the church is irrelevant, the truth is we can be and often are. If you're lost, you're probably not sitting around wondering what that Greek word means or who Lazarus' sister was. However, you do want to know how to be a better parent, have a better marriage, get your finances in order and live life with less stress and more joy. We try not to answer questions that no one is asking, but instead, show that God's Word is the most practical how-to book ever written for how to live a real life and have real relationships.
Regarding childcare, we have the most exciting areas of our church for kids, do background checks on anyone who works with kids, have high security in every area where children are, and have invested in the best check-in/check-out systems we can find to assure the safety of every child.
As to boring, well, we're a lot of things, but boring just isn't one of them. Everything we do comes with a question: "Will this engage people and keep them engaged?" If not, we're just wasting our time. For those of you that grew up in church, you may not see the need for the lengths we go to to produce our services, but you have to remember that we're attempting to reach people who see life in 30 minute segments with commercials every seven minutes. Attention spans are at an all-time low.
Now, the bucket issue...If unchurched people already think all the church wants is my money and 10 minutes into the service we tell them it's time to take up the offering and stick a bucket in their face, while the person on their left and right watch to see what they do with it, what do you think they're thinking? "See, I told you all they wanted was my money. Point proved." They are now tuned out to anything else that will be said that day. They came with a preconceived notion and we proved them right. To you a bucket may say, "Give if you like", but to that person it says, "We're watching to see if you give...and give a lot."
We make it really clear how people can give, but tell our guests right up front that we DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO GIVE ANYTHING. Just enjoy yourselves. This is our gift to you. WOW! Preconception smashed. "They don't just want my money. In fact, they went as far as to tell me NOT to give. I wasn't expecting that. I think I'll listen to the rest of what this weird church does".
And that's why we don't pass the plate.
A few years back a survey was done that asked people who did not attend church why they didn't attend. Here were their top answers:
1. All they want is my money
2. It's irrelevant
3. I don't trust the childcare
4. It's boring
Guess what? For the most part, they were right. During the time this survey was taken, we were at the height of the televangelist craze, where far too many greedy charlatans were painting the church in the worst way possible.
At Crosspoint, we've tried to address every one of those indictments of the church and build bridges rather than walls.
As to the charge that the church is irrelevant, the truth is we can be and often are. If you're lost, you're probably not sitting around wondering what that Greek word means or who Lazarus' sister was. However, you do want to know how to be a better parent, have a better marriage, get your finances in order and live life with less stress and more joy. We try not to answer questions that no one is asking, but instead, show that God's Word is the most practical how-to book ever written for how to live a real life and have real relationships.
Regarding childcare, we have the most exciting areas of our church for kids, do background checks on anyone who works with kids, have high security in every area where children are, and have invested in the best check-in/check-out systems we can find to assure the safety of every child.
As to boring, well, we're a lot of things, but boring just isn't one of them. Everything we do comes with a question: "Will this engage people and keep them engaged?" If not, we're just wasting our time. For those of you that grew up in church, you may not see the need for the lengths we go to to produce our services, but you have to remember that we're attempting to reach people who see life in 30 minute segments with commercials every seven minutes. Attention spans are at an all-time low.
Now, the bucket issue...If unchurched people already think all the church wants is my money and 10 minutes into the service we tell them it's time to take up the offering and stick a bucket in their face, while the person on their left and right watch to see what they do with it, what do you think they're thinking? "See, I told you all they wanted was my money. Point proved." They are now tuned out to anything else that will be said that day. They came with a preconceived notion and we proved them right. To you a bucket may say, "Give if you like", but to that person it says, "We're watching to see if you give...and give a lot."
We make it really clear how people can give, but tell our guests right up front that we DO NOT EXPECT THEM TO GIVE ANYTHING. Just enjoy yourselves. This is our gift to you. WOW! Preconception smashed. "They don't just want my money. In fact, they went as far as to tell me NOT to give. I wasn't expecting that. I think I'll listen to the rest of what this weird church does".
And that's why we don't pass the plate.
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