When I was a kid there was nothing better than a “snow day.” Growing up in TN, we didn’t really know how to drive in the stuff, so the slightest bit of snow put everything “on ice.” Pun intended…
I even remember occasions when me and my cousin would call the Rhea County Board of Education to report that a road was “un-crossable.” Usually the punch line went something like this, “Yeah, there are two crazy guys out here with 12 gauge shot guns just daring anybody to cross it.” We would hang up the phone, laugh like crazy, tune in the local AM radio station and pray for one more “snow day.”
Wow, how times have changed… Take this past Saturday PM for example...
After listening to all the other local weather gurus make their predictions on Saturday evening, I had this sick feeling in my gut… I even shot off an email that went something like this, “Yes, we WILL have service tomorrow morning… Unless there is a BLIZZARD, AVALANCHE or SNOW of EPIC PROPTIONS we will have church…” I posted the same thing on Facebook…
You name it… We did it… I even walked around a2’s worship room Saturday PM and prayed… I got up at 5 AM Sunday morning, looked outside, saw the snow and thought, “It’s not that bad…”
It was… The snow just kept coming… It was beautiful to look at… But terrible for church attendance. At about 7:50 me and Janet got in the car and started towards a2… We shot by Krispy Kreme and got a stash of donuts for whoever would brave the weather… Turned off of Montgomery Highway onto Laurel Road and when we turned into the deck @ a2 our car barely made it up the ramp… I knew then… We’re in trouble…
Here’s the good news: a total of 51 people made out for worship! That is AWESOME. I'm proud of you guys and gals... It's proof that there are at least a few people who are just as crazy as me and Janet... (Sorry about that... I just called you crazy, didn't I?)
Janet and Mikey did a stripped down acoustic set that was really meaningful… I shared a short message… We stood around, laughed and prayed… Eventually even got to spend some time at lunch meeting some new friends and fellowshipping with a couple of long standing friends... All of that was GOOD. Really good!
The snow?
Amazingly, by 1:30 BHM looked like a different place! The near “white out” conditions we had experienced right around 10 AM were a memory… The sun was out… The snow was melting and I was left wondering, “Why couldn’t this have happened six hours ago?”
For those of you who wonder what the BIG DEAL is, here’s why SNOW DAYS are really, really hard on a local church.
1. Loss of momentum.
While some people may not be “pumped” about their church, I’m “pumped” about what god is doing at a2. Genuinely psyched. I love Sundays! Absolutely love ‘em!
Last Sunday (February 22) was our best attendance Sunday yet @ a2. I really believed that this past Sunday (March 1) would build on the previous Sunday…
The series we’re currently in has created a lot of buzz. I was excited about the message and still believe God will use it to change hearts and lives. It's an important message. BTW, I'll be sharing it this Sunday (March 8).
Here's the way I view it: we’ve only got 52 Sundays to do what we do during corporate, weekend worship! Only 52! We pray and work really, really hard to make those 52 weekends count. A “snow day” knocks us down to 51 and can really put a dent in momentum…
That's one of the reasons I hate 'em. Yep. I hate 'em.
2. Limited impact on the unchurched.
At a2 we design our weekend services so that our church family not only feels “comfortable” inviting their unchurched friends to attend, but they get genuinely EXCITED about inviting their unchurched friends to attend. Every Sunday I walk in believing that somehow somebody will come to know Jesus… That somehow someone’s LIFE WILL BE CHANGED!
Snow days limit the evangelistic impact of a church… They simply limit your ability to reach the people who desperately need to be reached…
That's another reason I hate 'em.
3. Lack of revenue…
This aspect is difficult to talk about... If you've been to a2 you know that we tend to "downplay" money. We don't make a big deal about giving. We don't attempt to "pressure" people to give. In fact, we even encourage our guests not to give.
Don't misunderstand. We believe that TITHING and GIVING are Scriptural. We believe that the TITHE belongs to God and that our OFFERINGS are a way that we give THANKS to God for His extraordinary faithfulness to us. We teach on these subjects and challenge BELIEVERS to honor God in these areas, but we don't make a big deal out of the offering on Sunday, because we don't want to put up any barriers in regards to people hearing the GOSPEL of jesus.
Here's the scoop... When you’re a small, start up church, every week is a step of faith… I mean it! Every week... At a2 we don’t have a surplus. We haven’t received a “stimulus check” from the government… Nobody has lined up to “bail us out.” Every week we trust God to meet all our needs… We trust him to provide revenue so that we can pay the rent, keep the lights on, purchase curriculum, pay for printing, and even pay the pastor.
This past weekend really "shot us in the foot” in terms of meeting our budget needs. I mean, “shot us in the foot.” BIG TIME.
What do we do? How should we respond? Panic? Develop ulcers? Worry? Get anxious and afraid? Nope! We've chosen to SIMPLY TRUST GOD.
That’s what I told myself over and over again this past Sunday morning and afternoon. "Chris. Keep in mind. God is sovereign. He knows how to help us make up the slack in terms of lost momentum. He knows how to help us leverage the remaining weekends of the year for maximum evangelistic impact and HE KNOWS how to meet our need 'according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.' He knows…"
So today, I’m trusting God…
I'm trusting Him for a2’s best weekend ever in terms of:
• momentum… I want us to blow our previous record attendance away! Wouldn't that be so stinkin' cool? For this Sunday, March 8 to blow the doors off our highest attended Sunday yet? It's possible!
• evangelistic impact… This weekend I want to see more people come to know Jesus than I’ve ever seen come to know Him in one weekend. I'm getting excited just thinking about it! But wouldn't it be AWESOME to see a dozen or more people come to know Jesus this coming Sunday? It's possible!
• financial blessing… God is a2’s creator and sustainer. The book of Hebrews calls Him, “the author and finisher of our faith.” He is the originator of a genuine financial stimulus – one that is based on heaven’s economy, not earth’s…
Me? Despite the setback of a SNOW DAY, I’m pumped about this weekend’s MAKE UP WORSHIP DAY! Whoo Hoo!
Sunday AM we are going to blow the doors off when it comes to God honoring worship. Sunday PM our students are going to gather and worship like crazy! I really believe Jesus is going to be lifted up and lost people are going to come to know Him.
The financial stuff? I’m leaning on this promise: “I’ve never seen the righteous forsaken or God’s seed out begging for bread” (Psalm 37:25).
God is good.
See you this Sunday @ a2.
PS: If you feel a "leading" to honor God with His tithe and your offering, an ON-LINE GIVING OPTION is available on our website at www.a2church.org.
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