Windows and doors, doors and windows
windows and doors....doors and windows.
If we are what we are to be we are like Christ and if we are like Christ we will love souls and if we love souls we will think about how to reach souls for Christ - how to rescue them from satan’s evil empire and help in the “transferring them into the Kingdom of His dear Son.”
windows and doors...doors and windows.
I’m not sure where I first hear it or if I dreamt it up in my own strange mind but it makes sense to me, so here goes. One metaphor for the church is that of a building (1 Corinthians 3:9). “Building” (obvious pun) on that concept most any building has windows and doors. Windows are to look in, doors are to walk through.
windows and doors...doors and windows.
In church life we need windows and doors. Windows allow us to look in and see what we think...to get a glimpse and a feel for what a place is like before we go into the store, house, etc. We need windows. Windows - Church Picnics, Trunk or Treat, Financial Peace University, Family Dynamics, 48 Days to the Work You Love, Breakfast with Santa, Fall Festival, etc - windows. People look in, see that we are healthy, that we love each other, that we are no “weird” or “perfect”. If they like what they see as they look in they will be much more open to walking through a door.
windows and doors...doors and windows.
Doors - Personal Bible studies, Friend Days, Bible classes or small group studies in homes. Doors, people walk in and learn about what we are like, what we believe. They sit down and talk about more serious matters. Doors. Some churches do the windows well but forget the doors. They never sit down and talk about salvation matters with people. I heard an old preacher say years ago that “if we pizza and volleyball them into the church they will only stay till someone offers a better pizza” (hey, JY, another pizza analogy for you!). But then some churches do great on the “door” thing, i.e. they have great teaching but no one is there who needs teaching! No one has been taking care of the windows.
windows and doors...doors and windows.
Not everyone is good at the same thing. Some people know how to decorate a window but when someone walks in the door they freeze up. We need to make the most of those who are windows people and encourage them to use their talents for the Lord and to make the best of the door people and use their talents as well in building up the church. Neither is more important nor more valuable than the other.
windows and doors...doors and windows.
I’ve never seen a house with more doors than windows. I’d recommend at least two or three windows for every door. Not everyone who looks in will walk in. Not everyone who ate the loaves became a disciple. We need to be creative and work hard to make our windows as clean, inviting and attractive as possible so that when they look in they will want to walk in.
windows and doors...doors and windows.
What are yours?