Group Dynamics and The Crossing 'Club'

Most of us would agree--our auditorium is not conducive to good group dynamics. We have 500 seats occupied by about 120 people sitting in scattered clumps all over the auditorium. Imagine a family meal with 2 people in the kitchen, 3 in the living room, 2 more in a bedroom, and one guest sitting in the dining room. That is the feel in our church. Maybe the family doesn't mind because they see each other all the time, but the guest feels strangely alone at what is supposed to be a 'gathering.'

Something good happens when people experience things together but we are spread out all over the place at The Crossing. I think our experiences would be greatly improved if we were sitting closer together. So we put up pipe and drape to change the feel in there. Now we did not do a very good job with it because we failed to inform and include people in the process. They walked in Sunday and there it was. And unfortunately some reacted rather strongly...too strongly I feel. But I will talk more about that later.

The biggest concern is how new people feel when they walk in to our church. They see a bunch of people in the foyer laughing and having a good time. But when they enter the auditorium it looks and feels lifeless and empty (partly because so many are still out in the lobby hanging out with their friends). First timers usually walk immediately into the auditorium because they do not have friends out in the lobby to talk with. I wish that would change too. I wish our people would put their focus on the new people whenever they are there and make them feel included. What is more important than new people?

I think we have the mindset that The Crossing is sort of like a club. A club exists for the sake of its members. The mission of the club is to make sure the members are well taken care of. The club's workers worry about the members and their needs.

But if we are a club at The Crossing we are called to be a very different kind of club. We exist for the sake of those who are not yet members. Our mission is to make sure the non-members are well taken care of. Our workers are to worry primarily about the non-members and their needs. In fact, membership in this club, the church of Jesus Christ means you become one of the workers. In this club the members are serving the non-members.

As members of God's kingdom at The Crossing our job is to think about those who are not part of God's Kingdom and to worry about them. They are facing an eternity in hell. But so often I see those who call The Crossing home (those who are supposed to be the workers) worrying about what they are getting out of it. They are thinking like members of a club.

We cannot be selfish...nothing about us can have that vibe. This past Sunday we learned that Gideon sent home 97% of his army because they were only thinking of themselves. We must keep our perspective. We are members of an 'un-club'. The un-club's members are called to serve not be served. That is the story of our Founder who left the most exclusive club, Heaven, to serve mankind on Earth by giving his life. But what are we willing to give up for lost people when we walk into The Crossing? If we are going to be a church founded on Christ we cannot be anything that looks like a club.

That is why the pipe and drape was put up, that is why we are trying to make things better in the auditorium for everyone, most especially new people, and that is why our people must come to The Crossing every week and not think of themselves. That alone will probably change the group dynamics as much as anything. People will feel the love and sense the unselfishness and it will draw them to Christ!