Image Statement...

I was at a Church Planting Conference in Vancouver and I heard Len Sweet tell the delegates that what the church needs in this day and age is not mission statements but image statements. He commented that society today thinks in stories and narratives and that they relate best to metaphors and so the church must learn to speak the language of the times.

I left that gathering and returned to my church in Niagara Falls, an amalgamation of four congregations, wondering what metaphor we could use as an image statement for our new church. Believe it or not, it is not easy to do! After much pondering and "shower time" (I do my best thinking in the shower) the image that came to my mind for Niagara Orchard Community Church was the recycle bin.



The image of the recycle bin for our church explained to others about who we were. When we recycle we take items that we no longer have use for but we know that it is wrong to just discard them - they may be made into another item. NOCC was comprised of four congregations that at one time were lively churches but over time had become a shadow of their former glory. Rather than just closing the doors and sending these churches to the "landfill," The Salvation Army decided that these churches had the potential to be made into something new - to be recycled. The recycle metaphor is biblical as we read in Ephesians 4 where we are told put off our old self and be made new (Ephesians 4:22-24). It is the mission of the church to help people see that God can make them into something new - a new creation. A further extension of the image of the recycle bin came when NOCC purchased an Anglican Church building that was no longer wanted by that denomination and made it into their new place of worship - and old church building recycled to house a new congregation.

After eleven wonderful years in Niagara Falls, my wife Karen and I were asked if we would consider embarking on a revitalization project with a church in Thunder Bay, Ontario. So in July 2012, we started a new ministry adventure at Thunder Bay Community Church. As we started the work of revitalization, I again began to think about what a possible image statement for the church might be. An image statement has to be something that is easily recognizable and can be used to describe the mission of the church. So the image statement for TBCC is a dandelion - not a bright yellow dandelion that children give their moms as bouquets, but the fluffy white dandelion.



The fluffy white dandelion is not alive and vibrant, rather it is at the end of its life as was the case with TBCC. The church has many faithful saints who have done an admirable job of keeping the church going, but despite their efforts the church was on the verge of having to close its doors if something drastic wasn't done. God is not done with TBCC just yet, and like the dying dandelion it still has a purpose. We all know what the purpose of the dying dandelion is - to spread its seeds so new dandelions will appear all over your yard. The purpose of TBCC is to be a transforming influence in the community, and from this dying little church I am confident that a new and exciting ministry will spring up.

Some will say that the dandelion is nothing but a weed and we do everything we can to keep them off our property - how is this a good image of the church? Well, we want to spread like a weed in all the areas Satan claims as his (Matthew 4:8-9). We want the wind of the Spirit to blow us into every nook and cranny so it is impossible to dislodge us from accomplishing God's mission in Thunder Bay.

This summer (if it ever arrives) when you are dealing with dandelions in your garden, say a prayer for Thunder Bay Community Church.

Blessings.

(Dandelion picture is from the art portfolio of Jessica Puddicombe. Check out www.paintingwithpurpose.org)