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here's what I am thinking... someone asked me for my goal or direction or dream however you want to refer to it as... so... Here's the idea [direction] dream:
I want to create a church which provides a service that in turn makes enough money to support the function of the church. Example- A cafe whose proceeds support its weekly Bible studies and gatherings. The business would be a non-profit charitable organization whose incoming funds would support the function of the building, staff, etc., and all profits are given to charitable organizations such as World Vision, and possibly church plants from regions that grow our coffee. Statistically- a church spends 80-90% of all tithes on itself (building, staff, ministries) and only 10-20% on missions (food, clothing, shelter, medicine) to the world. What I am hoping is to grow a mission-minded group of Christians whose tithes go directly to the support of missions’ activities, organizations, projects, etc,. not the functioning of the local church. It’s kind of like turning capitalism on itself. If a business is functioning for the sake of the church (community) around it, and in turn if it is providing services needed then it would be a success. My original goal was to somehow make a church operate on 10-20% while the 80-90% went straight out the doors. At the same time (I’ve got restaurant/cooking in my blood) opening a coffee/tea house diner, who opens its upstairs sanctuary up to local artists and youth. So I combined the two.
I live in a small east Texas town which has a wonderful historic downtown area. There is nothing for older teens to do, and nowhere to hang out. Also, they are in dire need of a recycled books store. So, why no recondition a historical building on the square, it has ample parking, and could support loud music without disturbing neighborhoods.
My road map looks like this. 1. Build a home bible study around the idea of a missional group. This group does monthly service projects, and exists for the purpose of loving/serving/sharing with each other and then in turn doing to the same to community at large. This group is an open, but committed group of individuals who are allowed to freely express themselves, and at the same time show respect for all.
2. Once this group grows too large to gather in homes, it will then split and meet weekly in other homes and on special occasions meet together at a larger facility. [This group would eventually filter in to the larger group meetings at the cafe/bookstore worship services. The home group's main goals are community, service, love, support, and prayer. Their involvement in cafe/bookstore is not mandatory, but desired. These home groups would not discontinue at the building of the cafe, but rather be the cell groups who support and team with the cafe in its mission of service and outreach.]
3. Get a loan and build the cafe, with help from local artists, and volunteers.
4. Keep the community of Christians who began in homes connected and serving, while providing a place for people of buy books, lunch, coffee, assorted other items, all the while performing covert Christian missional activities in the community and the world.
That's a rough draft. But you get the idea. I have a lot more to say about it.
5. This café would operate like a business during the regular business hours but provide bible studies, and worship gatherings during week an on weekends.
I guess the big picture is this: 10 million people die a year from poverty. Maybe we can do something about it. When people think of Christians, they get sour tastes in their mouths. Maybe we can do something about it. Maybe we can take part in the recreation of earth by showing more love, forgiveness, and charity. Maybe we could start a revolution and change what were all about. Metanoia. |
