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Must we be seated for this movement?

Pews 2-1Pulpit-1Pastor-1

pews . . . . .. . . . . . . . .. . . . .. pulpits. . . . . preachers

must we be seated for this movement?

Dan Kimball says it wasn’t meant to be this way and back in the day, it wasn’t. “Most of our church architecture today was either adapted from the Roman Basilica (the law court) which is the way most long rectangular church buildings with pews and raised stage and pulpit are – or the 17th Century Theater as churches adopted seating and layout like contemporary theaters.” Dan’s post is called “Pews, Pulpits, Pastors, Preaching and other things that can get in the way of the church ”being“ the church”.

Related: Getting Things Moving is an article i wrote for Worship Leader.

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Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

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  • canzoni bambini pinocchio says:
    October 11, 2006 at 6:48 pm

    canzoni bambini pinocchio

    cessione mutuo fondiario
    clonare gsm
    combattere ruga

    Rick says:
    October 12, 2006 at 12:16 am

    I had a pastor tell me we could go with round tables through-out the room if I could get X% of the “congregation” in small groups. I never made the goal and we never got the tables.
    I love the round-table approach (I saw it somewhere but cannot remember where) for the sense of community. The issue of course is capacity v. comfort. For the young, healthy crowd standing would be fine but for an old guy like me who hasn’t taken care of himself, my ability to hang around would be limited. Chairs are a must and capacity seems maximized with the stadium approach.
    To save me from reading Dan’s book, what are the options?

  • The Boars Head Tavern says:
    October 12, 2006 at 3:45 am

    Kimball rocks it

    (HT: TSK) Dan Kimball is talking about things that get in the way of people being the church: little things like pews, pulpits, pastors or preaching (to borrow from his title). This is sure to upset traditionalists, but its good st…

  • chad says:
    October 13, 2006 at 2:24 pm

    I remember when I read Kimball for the first time at the Christian bookstore I worked in. I remember really digging what he was saying about this sort of placement. Was it him or pagitt that talked about wanting to get away from a lecture style but thinking it was really hard to figure out how and maybe it was just easier? I don’t remember.
    If I think about some of the most meaningful conversations I have had with people about God have been in a car. Whether I was the one learning or telling I think they were some of the best. So how would someone go about bringing that to a large format….after wondering with other people why it always worked so good we came up with the idea that since we are driving or riding our mind is preoccupied enough to somehow let these conversations come up easier.
    I am really enjoying the new shift you have going here Andrew. Thanks for what you do.

  • Wayne says:
    October 13, 2006 at 5:35 pm

    Hey Andrew,
    Great to have found you!! Trust you and the family are well.
    Check out this AMAZING story …
    “What if the Amish were in charge of the war on terror.”
    http://bunburywa.blogspot.com/
    The Amish are not seated for the movement!!
    Wayne Field
    (Ex North Beach Baps WA)

  • andrew says:
    October 13, 2006 at 6:51 pm

    wayne – good to hear from you after 13 years.
    rick – the quote is not from dans book but a recent post that you will just have to read.

  • daniel greeson says:
    October 17, 2006 at 10:53 am

    everyone could just stand. Orthodox church has done it since the beginning.

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