Understanding Your Surroundings
Recently, a church in Muncie stirred up some controversy with a mailer they sent out advertising their new sermon series. As I have read some of the reactions of people in our community through the local paper, I’ve been thinking about how important it is for the church to understand its surroundings.
This mailer did not offend me. I thought it was catchy, direct, and well done. I’ve seen this flyer before (via outreach media). And, Granger Community Chruch did this series a while back. I have no problem with the mailer, the series, any of that.
It does surprise me that so many in Muncie are outraged by a simple mailing indicating that a church is going to be dealing with sexuality. Much of this controversy was being fought out in the local paper the same week as Muncie’s annual Mardi Gras bash. Public intoxication and nudity don’t seem to phase people, but a church flyer talking about sex sets them off.
The one error I see on the part of the church is not a clear understanding of the surrounding community. Muncie is a fairly conservative community. Though there is a university known as a party school, the townspeople are mostly blue-collar conservatives. And, the church is new to the community…not even a year old. So, they have not developed a reputation and identity within the community. If this mailer had been sent out by one of the more established congregations, I believe there would still have been some people upset…but not as many.
As pastors and leaders in the church, we have to be a lot like farmers. Talk to a farmer about the soil in his fields and he can tell you every thing…more than you want to know. He has a full understanding of the soil and knows exactly what to plant in order to reap the greatest harvest.
In the church, we get caught up in flashy ideas…trying to stir up controversy. And, in the end, we find ourselves alienating ourselves from the community.
I think the church at the center of this controversy is full of great people and wonderful leaders. But, the fallout from this one mailer could be huge. I hope and pray that it all works out. I feel like they are trying to do something in Muncie that needs to be done.
All of this has just reminded me how much a student of my culture I need to be in order to effectively bring the Good News to those that don’t know Him.