Turning Over Tables and the Ghost of Christmas Future

Two weeks ago, as worship was about to start, I looked out into my church’s Commons through the back sanctuary glass doors.  Our Commons area was filled to the brim.  Wall-to-wall tables:  fair trade tea and coffee for sale, t-shirt orders being taken, a welcome desk with gift bags, Turkey Dinner tickets for sale, prayer key chains for the taking, photo signups for the directory, a check-in for flu shots, and donuts, fruit, and coffee down the hall. 

I leaned over and whispered to my partner-in-crime (aka lead pastor), “An old pastor of mine used to say, ‘It’s right about now that Jesus comes in and turns over tables.’” 
 

About 10 years ago, in my previous church where I was a layperson, November was a really busy month.  The Narthex was filled with tables for various sales and signups (similar to the Commons area of my new church).  I personally loved the energy during November; the hustle and bustle somehow found its way into worship and gave worship a jolt.  Apparently, however, not everyone like the cramped Narthex.  Some complained to the pastor, who was a master at balancing differing opinions.  In order to temper the issue, he joked in worship about Jesus turning over the tables.  

That previous congregation has experienced significant decline over the last 10 years.  It’s not that all the vibrancy is gone or that the church is on its deathbed, but the place had a different kind of energy a year ago when I left.  During the last two Novemebers, I remember yearning for the hustle and bustle I used to feel in the cramped Narthex.  Certainly I wasn’t the only one yearning for a different time.  Maybe even the people who complained were wishing the tables and activity could be brought back.  It's a reminder: we should be careful what we wish for.

At different times in my life, I’ve taken church groups to visit other churches to experience a different worship style, a different kind of community, and different norms.  The hope was to inspire them into the future and show them what a vibrant community can feel like.  

But after I watched our Commons two weeks ago, and after I got thinking about the people who complained about the busy narthex, I started to wonder whether it would be smarter to do ‘reverse church visits.’  Instead of taking people from less vibrant congregations to more vibrant congregations, what if we took people from more vibrant congregations to less vibrant congregations?  What if we showed people how it might end up for their church if things don’t change?  What if we showed people what their future might hold unless they intentionally listen to the Spirit and act intentionally?  What if we showed people that if they stick to their own preferences, the future will look bleak?  Looking back, ten years ago, maybe I should have taken the people complaining about the busy Narthex to a dying church and said, “This could be your church.  Really you don't want to gripe about your Narthex being full of sales and signups.”   It’s kind of like playing the Ghost of Christmas Future.  

I can’t say whether Jesus would or wouldn’t be turning over tables in anybody’s Commons or Narthex.  If Jesus were here in the flesh and blood now, I’m guessing he'd be looking for a temple to worship in… or better yet, he'd probably be preaching on a mountain side.  However, I do know that Jesus was full of spunk; Jesus was full of energy.  He must have been.  Look at the crowds he drew.  I bet some in those crowds would have signed up for a Turkey Dinner or would have ordered a cool blue t-shirt.