Do Not Lock Your Doors During Worship.

The title of this post should make it absolutely clear but in case you didn't read it, here it is again.

Do Not Lock Your Doors During Worship.

Is that clear enough for you?  I am not asking that you keep the church open 24 hours a day, just asking that, when worship is taking place, you make sure that people can get in.  Or, in the event of a fire, people can get out.

Here's a few reasons, based on real world case studies.

Brenda has  a history of substance abuse.  She lives a bit of a disordered life, and sometimes schedules can be a little fluid.  But the church has helped her in the past, and when she has her good days, she always mucks in with the life of the church.  Sometimes she arrives later than 11am.

Bob suffered from brain damage which left him agoraphobic.  Some days he has real trouble getting across his own door, so he can't always get to church on a Sunday, and when he does, he has to rely on other people transporting him there.  He usually arrives for the sermon, and stays for coffee afterwards, and always says how much the church community has helped him.

Bill was an ex prisoner who found himself suddenly homeless.  Bill's story was an unfortunate tale of a number of Government departments messing up and letting him slip through the cracks.  Seeing nowhere else to turn to, he saw a church door that was open, and went in and sat through the service.  Afterwards he approached the minister and asked for help.  Bill is now occasionally seen in the town and is working and doing well for himself.

Brian and Barbara have two children, one 5 years old and one 5 weeks old.  Two children equals about four times the work getting them out the door, and it wouldn't be the first time that the minister was waiting in the lobby to process into the church when they looked out and saw Brian, Barbara and entourage running up the path in a flurry of buggies and changing bags.  A short pause to allow them to sneak in the back means that there will be at least one child to talk to for the children's address.

Today I was doing pulpit supply, in a church that I have preached in on a number of occasions.  And every Sunday they lock the door during worship.  Today I realised that the door had been locked before I had even walked up the aisle and asked the congregation to stand for the bible.  In my sermon, I was telling the full story of Bill (above) and how, in his hour of need, he walked into a church and waited until after the service to ask for help.  So knowing about the locked door, today I added a little extra to my sermon to be deliberately provocative.  Today I told the congregation that they wouldn't be able to help Bill, because I could see from where I was standing that the door was locked.  And I said please don't do that again.

After the service, I was given an excuse of how an item was stolen the last time they left the door unlocked.  If security is a concern, then have one elder on door duty, not to prevent people from coming in, but instead to welcome them.  If you are a church that locks your door during worship, then you do not serve your community, but are instead just a social club that may as well hang a sign on the door that says "Members Only"

If I turn up outside your church and I find your door locked, then I will start banging.  It's not me knocking to get in.  I'm nailing up a sign to remind you that you are in Gods house, and the sign reads:

Mark 13:35

I hope you will get the  message.

But in case it has slipped your notice....

Do Not Lock Your Doors During Worship.