What would a pop-up church be like? What would it look like to show up on a street corner one week, do church-y things, and then leave?
A pop-up church would embrace certain characteristics of the retail trend. First of all, pop ups often inhabit vacant spaces. Whether it’s storefront that needs a renter, or a warehouse-style location publicized on Twitter, pop-ups fill a void. Some are on wheels with doors as display cases. Mostly, they go where life is needed.
Pop-up stores are also very focused on their purpose and are not able to expand their capacity. They are designed to be episodic, not sustainable. That’s the beauty: existing for one thing without figuring out how to keep the momentum going.
Lastly, a pop-up store creates buzz because it’s new and temporary. I had lived in Albany for nearly two years before I actually took a tour of the Capitol. What made me do it? My mother was visiting. A pop up store creates time pressure to get involved now before it’s too late. If the store is there permanently, there’s no rush.
Perhaps this fall can be like a pop-up season for all us. During this season, we can take on new things we haven’t done before as an experiment. We can reach out to those vacant spaces in our city or in someone’s life to shine the light of Christ.
The good thing about Westminster is that we are not going to leave after a season. We are committed in our mission and in our neighborhood. May we be grounded during this season as new ventures pop up among us.