Ever ask whether God can use your life for something that matters?
I think at some point most of us do. I know I've asked that question many times in my life.
And usually when you ask the question, you're expecting a big answer – a huge break, a big opportunity or something that would be unmistakable.
But sometimes it's the little things that make all the difference.
Something as small as making the move to our 8:30 service.
I realize that probably sounds ridiculous. But let me explain.
We're running out of seats at 10:00 a.m. in our main service and our children's ministry space in both Barrie and Orillia.
By doing something as simple as moving to our 8:30 service, you free up seats for new people to attend. Most first time attenders show up at our 10:00 service, and 60% of them tell us they have no regular church attendance pattern. Which is wonderful news to us, because our vision is to create a church that unchurched people love to attend.
When you make the move, you free up space for someone like Jason.
[tentblogger-youtube T6crViXTNiA]
Jason is just one of the many people we've baptized this year. Truth? Most of them have shown up for the first time for our 10:00 gathering.
So would you be one of the people who have decided to make 8:30 their home service?
In doing so, you're creating an opportunity for more life change. Your making room for people who are brand new to faith and church.
And that's how God can use little things like your decision to make a simple change in service attendance to change lives.
So what do you get out of it? If that's not enough (it's pretty good), here are some other factors:
- We have small group leaders who want to pour into your preschool and elementary aged kids at 8:30. They serve every Sunday at 8:30, so by attending the same service your kids build a crucial relationship with their group leader and you as a parent gain an ally in a small group leader who's speaking the same truth into their life that you as a good parent would. (Transit for Grades 6-8 runs only at the 10:00 service at both locations, and Inside Out for high school runs Sunday evenings).
- You'll make new friends. 8:30 is smaller and it's easier to connect than with the big crowd at 10.
- In September, we're bribing you! Okay, maybe that's a little extreme. But this weekend we're serving some special hors D'ouerves that no one at 10 will get. And on the last Sunday of September we're giving away a set of four Barrie Colts tickets at our 8:30 service. What do the ten oclock people get? Our love. But no goodies. 🙂
