One question that I get asked almost as much as any other is "Where is the Courageous Church going to have Sunday services?" I am always very surprised that so many people ask this question and I feel that it reveals that Sunday services are still the "main thing" in the minds of most people. Our church is going to have six practical ways that it fleshes out it’s mission (Sunday services, creative use of technology, small groups, random acts of kindness, addressing courageous causes, and through a bold covenant), but people always want to know about Sunday services – they are really an established part of the national Christian brand. The other 5 ways that we will flesh out our mission will require effort to introduce and are not already assumed by the people.
The Courageous Church won’t begin having Sunday morning services until 1-11-2009, but we’ve already scouted out several locations, prayed, done a bunch of research on what other churches are doing, and even talked to a few places to look at costs and contracts. What we have settled is a very specific geographical location in downtown Atlanta and this area of town only has but a handful of options for where we could hold services. Since we can’t actually hold our Sunday services inside this Whole Foods on Ponce in downtown Atlanta, we want to be less than a mile from it. Here’s why:
1. This is my area of town. We shop at and around this Whole Foods several times per week. I live 1 mile from this location. Our kids will go to school in this district. My office is within walking distance of this Whole Foods.
2. This area of town is full of life and traffic. Whole Foods is the center of gravity for this area, but dozens and dozens of other businesses and offices have caused this area of town to be outrageously busy.
3. This area of town is diverse. Whole Foods is partly responsible for this, but this area is a microcosm of the ethnic, national, and socio-economic diversity of all of Atlanta.
4. The vast majority of people that frequent this side of town are highly un-churched or de-churched, but express an openness to spirituality and community service that I feel presents an open door for something fresh and new.
5. This area of town is within 3 miles of 6 major colleges and universities and about 50,000 college students. I was a student leader in college and still have a huge passion for college students and know that the suburban churches that are so far away from these campuses will have a much harder time reaching them now that gas prices are so high.
((I have a lot more to say, but my wife just asked me to make a pregnant lady food run…haha!))