Unfortunate, but true: people associate a church with its building. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been asked during the life of New Hope Christian Fellowship, “Oh, where’s your church?” Those asking want a location. When we tell them that we meet in the Seventh Day Adventist building, or at American Indian Christian Mission, we are inevitably identified with those groups. Explaining our “renter status” doesn’t help. People are bound and determined to categorize you by where you reside.

In this sense, I suppose that if we met at the zoo, we’d be identified with the animals, even though, common sense dictates that we’re people. Ha.

I’m not saying that having our own building is bad. I’m only making the point that NHCF will now be identified with that beautiful building on the hill in Linden. Everything about it will give clues to those who see it, as to who we are and what we are as a church…inside.

It’s my prayer and my hope that what our building says glorifies the Lord Jesus. It’s my prayer and hope that when people look at our building they will see a caring, loving, body of believers who practice New Testament Christianity. More could be said, but this will do to make the point. Therefore, when they meet the real NHCF inside the building, I again must pray and hope that we’ll match the identity outside.

So what’s the clearest visual clue that we can give them. Why…it’s the cross.

We have built a strong concrete base in the parking lot which will support a cluster of three crosses. They will stand between the street viewer and our church building, be lighted at night, and testify to the gospel of Christ. May we take on that identity.

Related posts:

1. Value in the Church
2. The House of God
3. What’s the Use of Church?