Tonight we held our "2nd annual 5-minute Trick or Treat Party" in our garage. Instead of just handing costumed-kids candy at the door, we made them earn their sugar. Games included a bean bag toss, a "fishing" pond, and a duck pond where kids could receive gum, candy, or toys. And parents could warm up with hot apple cider, apple cake, and popcorn.
Because a "5-minute party" is rather unusual and not normal for the culture, it is kind of fun watching the reactions of "customers" (as my 6-year-old son called them!). Reactions varied widely, from the middle school boys who "didn't have time" to play games, to the middle school girls who wanted to stand around chatting while munching on their "winnings." But my favorite reactions were of some parents.
One father walked up to the garage entrance tonight and peered skeptically in while 4 late elementary/early middle school girls stood behind them. Even with my reassurance, he still wasn't sure if he should step in our not. After the girls with him played a couple of games, I could see him visibly soften toward the idea of being in a stranger's garage while his kids had fun. Five minutes later as they prepared to exit to go pilfer other homes of candy, this father turned to me with a slight smile and said "thanks."
Contrast this to the couple who walked in with 3 little ones about half-way through the evening. As their children buzzed from game to game, the mom could not stop smiling. She thanked me approximately 3.23 times, and the dad echoed her almost each instance. They even said to themselves "this is such a wonderful idea!"
As the happy family made their way out, leaving our garage empty for a short time before the next set of "customers" descended upon us, I turned to my oldest daughter and said, "that's how it is going to be with our new church - reactions will be all over the place."
Like the dad with 4 girls, some people will be extremely skeptical of a new church. They'll think we are a cult. They'll think we won't make it past the first year. They'll think we are weird or not legitimate. For a variety of reasons, they'll be wary about joining us to worship God.
Others will be like the couple with three young ones. They'll be overjoyed at the idea of this new church. They'll eagerly jump in. They'll comment to themselves how much they like this new church. It won't bug them one bit that they are part of a church family that uses rented facilities and has to set-up and tear-down each Sunday.
And yet others will be like the middle school boys and be too busy for this new church, while some will be like the middle school girls and just enjoy what the church has to offer without ever really becoming part of it.
Yep, I can't guarantee much of anything about this yet-to-be-seen church, but I can guarantee this: reactions will be all over the place.
