Environ-MENTAL-ism vienna.JPG Environ-MENTAL-ism = being cognitive about your surroundings (in the Chuckk lexicon anyway). I believe that the environment that you gather in for worship and community effects the way things unfold in ministry. Place communicates values and even message. Some church gathering places feel like concert stadiums, some like grand cathedrals, or industrial warehouses, strip mall slots, friendly pubs or my least favorite vibe: Our Lady of the Musty Convalescent Home. Environment should be thought through and created / recreated to enhance and even communicate the message itself. I practice changing ambience regularly to keep things fresh and to communicate in multisensory ways. Environment is beyond mere “look”: Here are 7 questions that could be asked about a space. 1. How does the meeting place smell? Are there smells that can be imported to communicate the message? 2. What do you see around the space, how can these visual elements and cues be modified for variety and communication of the current message(s)? 3. Will the people be stationary or are there places to go and activities to do in the space – what do you touch and feel in the space? 4. What happens audibly in the space beyond mere voice and music – how can sound be used to enhance the message? 5. How can light or lack of light be harnessed? 6. Does the environment you meet in pose a challenge to worship, relationships and learning / growth or is it an ally? 7. How does the environment feel to someone who is visiting your gathering for the first time? Mark Batterson just wrote a great blog this morning speaking to the idea of ambience, I hope you’ll run over and read what he has to say.

Posted by Young vampire luke at 10:35 AM

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