I do not stand alone when I talk to my fellow clergy about serving and blessing and winning those outside the church walls. But it is difficult at times going from speaking to doing. And, of course, controversy breaks out among some of the parishioners. It’s when my program, my office, my title, my privilege, my influence, and my comfort takes precedence over others needs. Then we become barriers and not gateways. The Plaza Church is so privileged to have over fifteen surrounding communities in a maximum ten to fifteen minutes drive to the house of worship at 10:00am every Sunday and 7:00pm every Wednesday night.

Please allow me to share with the Plaza Church, the communities, and to my colleagues in ministry these barriers that keep us from building the church without buildings. It is when we are so concerned and care more about keeping things intact than about restoring lives that are shattered in our communities. When we get upset over things broken in church rather than excited when the broken are mended spiritually that we miss the presence of God. When we reduce the preaching to just “Give me a show or preach me happy’’ to not seeking forgiveness and healing for ourselves and our neighbors (inside and outside the church).

The question I ponder is “What are we protecting?”  I continue to ask the Plaza Church if this entire church body could perish overnight would the community miss us? To all the communities the Plaza Church would like to know- what are your needs and how can we covenant with you to meet those needs? Secondly, what are you already doing and doing well that we may celebrate with you? The German theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, during World War II from his Flossenburg concentration prison camp wrote, “The church is only the church when it exists for others,”  The Plaza Church is  laboriously striving from the misconception  that it is still a white church. No! We are God’s Church set apart to genuinely care for our community and our world by moving from membership to discipleship.

Peace & Blessings!