Parking Lot Sermons
When I resided in Clarksburg, West Virginia, I frequently passed a church building that rarely failed to impress me. I'm not referring to the physical structure, although it was large and attractive. What struck me was the parking lot; specifically, the number of cars that were typically parked there.
Although the lot was generally full during their Sunday morning worship, that is not what caught my eye. What amazed me was the fact that their lot was nearly full by 9:15 AM on Sundays – 15 minutes prior to Sunday school. That's not all. Whenever I passed the building at 5:45 p.m. on Sundays (15 minutes prior to their evening service), the parking lot was often 75% full. It was the same prior to their midweek service on Wednesdays.
There's more. On many weekdays and Saturdays, I routinely observed 25 to 40 cars parked in their lot. Apparently, this is a church that believes that a church building should be utilized far more than 3 to 4 hours weekly.
My point? Although I did not attend a service in that building, I was constantly tempted to do so. Why? Because the parking lot persuasively "preached" to me that this particular church is passionate about worship, learning, serving and growing.
Come to think of it, every church parking lot "preaches” on Sundays, Wednesdays, and on other days. But what is the message? Is it that “Once-a-week attendance is preferred here.” Or, “Bible class is not very important.” Or, “This facility is closed 95% of the time.”
What is our parking lot "preaching” to our community? May God help us to improve these "sermons" for His glory, the edification of His church, and the salvation of souls!
“I was glad when they said to me, "Let us go into the house of the LORD." (Psa. 122:1)
Jesus, always Jesus!
Dennis
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