Monday, February 21, 2005

"Ya'll Come On In and Move Down Towards the Front" or "Church People Frustrate Me" Vol. 1

What is our fascination with the back row at church? At what point in a persons life does it become more cool to sit on the back row than on the front? High School? Junior High? If my 3 year old daughter is excited to be somewhere, she runs in and sits on the front row. She wants to be where the action is. At church, she would sit on the stage if we would let her. Maybe we should. "Unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."

On the other hand, we have adults who will unstack chairs to create a back row as close to the exit as possible when there is plenty of seating available. What are you afraid of? Fire? Flood? Loss of oxygen? Scripture reading? And these people are NOT going to budge. I plead, I prod, I ridicule and humiliate. Nothing seems to work. It's like going to someone's house for dinner and insisting on being served in a different room from everyone else. It makes no sense and it is really challenging for teachers, preachers, worship leaders and others attempting to engage with you in worship (perhaps THAT is what you're afraid of).

The church where I attend has room to grow. We only utilize about half the space in the auditorium. And yet we look like a big donut on Sunday mornings. People sitting up front, some on the sides and others in the back with a big hole in the middle. Do we even like each other?

Some have babies and may need to leave in a hurry if they cry. I appreciate that, but in my family we don't make the people with potentially crying babies sit at the back. We help them and understand that babies sometimes cry. We also don't make Grandma sit in another room. We help her into the room where we are. And if someone has to leave dinner early, we don't hold them in contempt or claim they have ruined our dinner. We wish them well and trust that they would not be leaving early unless it was really important.

What would Rosa Parks say about all of this back row nonsense? There was a time when being allowed to sit up front meant something. Well, I think always sitting in the back means something too. Grow up and join the rest of us. You look awfully tough back there, but I think you're scared (yes, I'm calling you out).

If you are a back row sitter at your church, try moving a little closer this Sunday and let me know how it goes. Ya'll come on in and move down towards the front! Come on, you can do it!

11 Comments:

At 9:15 PM, Blogger SG said...

Ever thought of leading worship from the back of the auditorium? or planting a rancid dirty diaper under the back pew? or marking the back rows off with crime scene tape? Didn't think so! :)

 
At 9:58 AM, Blogger Stephen Bailey said...

I like the way you're thinking Stephanie! Non of those suggestions are beneath me at this point:p

 
At 9:59 AM, Blogger Stephen Bailey said...

I mean NONE of those suggestions...

 
At 2:59 PM, Blogger Craig said...

just take some of the pews away and make everybody move on up

 
At 4:56 PM, Blogger Susie said...

Yes, our congregation, too. I do sit up front (I hear better, and less distractions), and often, I feel rather like a leper as people always fill in back first. And I do have a baby that I have to take out quite a bit, but as long as I can sit on the end, I can slip out pretty easily.

Do you think maybe they would rather people watch than be watched? I think some people feel "on display" sitting up front. Just an idea . . .

Cheers! : )

 
At 10:49 AM, Blogger believingthomas said...

At great church that we used to be a part of 6-10 years ago we tried the crime scene tape (we used a fancy rope). We roped off several rows at the back on times when we didn't expect to be full. People would remove the rope or even CRAWL under it. I once heard an old preacher say the reason people sit on the back row is because there are no seats in the parking lot! I know of one church where you can sit in the parking lot and listen. How engaging that must be.

 
At 3:46 PM, Blogger Brandon Scott Thomas said...

Dude-
I hear ya. I feel ya. That happened to me at one point when we were having three services at Otter. In fact, one morning I stopped and point blank asked people to move up. They didn't. Then, I began to call names. I said, Ok, "____" come on up and let's set an example for the others. Nothing. I almost had to leave the building. It enraged me. I am with you--go the stinky diaper route. I can provide you with one of Ella's. Belive me...it would do the trick.

 
At 9:50 AM, Blogger Karen said...

I'm with Susie... In fact, I asked someone why they always sat in the back in class (we have round tables and sit in small groups in our Sunday morning class) and she said that that way she could see everyone better. She and her husband also sit in back during worship; I imagine for the same reason. Me... I'm a 2nd/3rd row person... even when I had babies.

 
At 4:20 PM, Blogger SG said...

Reade this quote today and thought of your blog...
"People are funny, they want the front of the bus, the middle of the road, and the back of the church."

 
At 4:21 PM, Blogger SG said...

I meant "Read" -_-

 
At 9:18 AM, Blogger Stephen Bailey said...

I'm using that on Sunday.

 

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