Toolbox For Faith

After last week, I have been rethinking the saying I have heard for years, “Location, location, location.” Two diverse incidents started me down the reanalysis road.

I went by a local antique store to pick up some special silver polish for my wife and had a great conversation with one of the owners. She told me that they do over 90% of their business over the internet. Then she added, “That’s the only way we can survive in this location.” “Location, location, location” for them was the internet.

A few days later, I was driving on the short cut from our house to civilization and the mall when I passed a church located in the back of a warehouse with a big new sign out front with giant letters advertizing Biker Church. The church has been there since we moved over a year ago but this was a different name. On several different occasions when they had Saturday events, I noticed all the motorcycles. Evidently, they decided to specialize. For them, “Location, location, location” was the biker grapevine because they are way off the main roads.

In a brochure to college students in the town where I am interim pastor, I wrote that the best way to find our church was by GPS. We then gave directions but I still feel that a GPS is still the best way to find us. That is why it is vital for us and many other churches who share our “off the traveled path” problem to look at our location in creative ways.

“Location, location, location” is still just as important but it is much more than a physical location. I am going to ask our key leaders to examine effective ways such as the internet and a specialized community grapevine so that we can creatively relocate for our church