What’s Your Church’s Image?

Dit-dit-dit-daaaah. Three quick Gs and a long E-flat. Almost everyone recognizes this string of notes as the introduction to one of the most-loved musical works of all time, Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.

Yet, if a person had no background in classical music, would he or she be drawn to this musical masterpiece simply by the title? If I invited you to listen to Piano Concerto No. 3 in C would you be interested? This concerto is also one of Beethoven’s most popular works, but most of us would not recognize it by its title. The image the name conveys is less than riveting, especially compared to “Speechless,” by Steven Curtis Chapman or “Dare You to Move,” by Switchfoot.

Relate this to names we give our churches. I did a quick glance through the yellow pages in Chicago. If you had no church background, would you visit Baptist Church Without Spot or Wrinkle? Or Holiness is the Way Gospel Temple? What image does your church’s name reflect?

What image does your building portray? Sloppy and unkempt? An edifice meant only for the very rich? Is your church physically accessible to everyone? Anieta McCracken, in “Is Your Church Hospitable?” (page 4) shows how the physical and cultural image a church portrays makes it hard for outsiders to fit in. Phil Simmons (page 7) demonstrates how difficult it is for those without church backgrounds to understand our services – that is after they find the courage to enter the building in the first place.

Most church programs are directed towards church people. We forget how entrenched we are in our own language and customs. Those outside our culture do not understand. The Apostle Paul, on the other hand, was a master at communicating with those outside his circle. He became all things to all men so that by all possible means he might save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). Evaluate your church image. Whom do you target? Whom do you actually reach?

One young man did not wait for people to walk through the doors of his church. He went to them. A staff pastor at Open Bible Church of Portland in Oregon, Ben Hines trained as a battalion chaplain with the National Guard to minister to those serving in Iraq. Read “Every Soldier Needs Care” (page 8) to learn how you can pray for Ben and his unit.
Another person not waiting for people to walk through the doors of her church is Tonya Hawthorne from Immanuel Chapel in Largo, Florida. This incredible woman left a comfortable medical practice to provide free medical care to people in Afghanistan, India, Sudan, and other remote locations (page 9).

What are you willing to do to reach those outside your church walls? What about changing your image?

Andrea Johnson,
Managing Editor
Message@openbible.org