something i found

i was searching on msn for the church homepage because i wanted to find the directory but i didnt find it but i stumbled across an article from an archive i thought it was kind of interesting (onmission.org)

BELIEVE IT OR NOT SOME PEOPLE DON’T LIKE CHURCH!!!!!!
Some even hate it. Whether their disdain arises from a bad experience or religious ignorance, this group of disenfranchised souls is our mission field.
Churches that are desperate to take the message of hope to a hopeless world sometimes use methods that go beyond innovative. They often risk being misunderstood by other Christians in their passion to take Christ to a segment of society that is being overlooked by the majority of evangelicals.
Three of these churches have found that taverns, dirty laundry and cattle troughs can be a point of contact between on mission Christians and their ever-changing world.
TAKING TAVERNS TO NEW HEIGHTS
"People are interested in spirituality but not church," said
Scott Williams, founding pastor of New Heights in Mission, British Columbia, Canada. "Our goal is to re-introduce people to real spirituality—Jesus Christ."
New Heights is Williams’ fourth church plant. In his first three churches, Williams’ goal was to reach non-Christians, but he found that most of the new people coming were disgruntled Christians looking for a change.
New Heights is different.
"Seventy-five percent of the people coming in the door are unsaved," Williams said. That’s no mistake. Williams and New Heights have taken specific steps to attract unchurched people.
New Heights has two slogans that reflect their mission statement:
A church for people who hate church.
A church for the real world.
"Most Christians don’t have a clue what’s going on in the real world," Williams said. "It’s messy out there."
New Heights wants to "take this town for Jesus Christ." They are well on their way in this community of 35,000. The core group of 19 people on Palm Sunday 1996 has expanded to a Sunday morning attendance nearing 400.
New Heights attracts the unreached, and here are some of the reasons why:
"Our music may repel Christians," Williams declared without apology. The band plays alternative, hard rock and delirious music that is attracting many non-Christians. The church has also already cut its first CD.
The worship band regularly plays in bars and taverns. "Why do we play in bars? Well, for starters, that’s where the people are.
Seems to me that Christ met people where they were at and the church is asking people to meet the church where it’s at.
"The bar is a great place to meet people, share your faith and sing music that will touch people. The bar is nothing more than a meeting place. People know I’m a pastor.
Our bands will often invite people to church so I guess the people know we’re Christians too," Williams said.
"We dare people to come to church. We use reverse psychology, telling them ‘It’s probably not for you’ and it works," Williams said. "We play on anti-church sentiment without slamming other churches."
"We structure for chaos," Williams said. "People heckle me during the service. I love it! I wish it were totally interactive.
I wish I could be in the audience with a microphone." Williams explained this was one of the limitations of using less-than-ideal rental facilities.
"We’re bringing back icons—candles, paintings, religious art— but we’re redefining it. Today’s non-Christians are spiritual; they love stained glass!
"We try to bring a godly, timeless message to a rapidly changing real world. Drug addicts who have been clean for only nine days testify." Williams believes you don’t have to be perfect to be saved and to share your message with a hurting world. Recovering addicts and prostitutes hand out programs [bulletins] before the service.
"I don’t preach, I share. I talk about pragmatic issues. But three out of four sermons deal with finding Jesus and falling in love with Him.
"I don’t mind offending people in my messages." Williams explained that he used to soft sell the gospel in his earlier church plants.
In his attempt to be politically correct, he short-changed the truth. "I tell them you’re all going to hell if you’re without Christ," he said. "If you treat non-Christians with respect and realness, you can say anything you want."The pastor is not an authority figure. I’m a wounded healer—I talk about my problems with lust and greed," Williams said.
"Every day I ask God to help me overcome temptation." Williams believes that the more vulnerable he is, the faster his church grows. "I thought if I was ever really vulnerable, nobody would love and accept me—the opposite is true.
"Our church is not for everybody," Williams explained. "It’s messy." When people leave the church because the music is too loud, or the worshipers are too scary, Pastor Williams sends them away with his blessing.
"We’re on the same team, even though we don’t look alike," he tells them. "I’ll do whatever it takes to bring people into the kingdom," Williams said. "I’m prepared to look undignified."
Meeting people on their turf, building relationships by being real and vulnerable, telling the truth about Jesus, refusing to be deterred by chaos and in-your-face problems like drug addiction and prostitution has earned Pastor Scott Williams the right to be heard. People are listening and responding in droves.