The venue for the Q Conference is absolutely incredible. The Tabernacle is a premier concert venue, but it has an amazing backstory. It used to be a church--The Baptist Tabernacle. And it still has a sacred feel. Almost impossible to describe, but it is about as cool as they come. If we were in Atlanta, I'd be all over the Tabernacle. Love to find a similar club/concert venue in DC for our fourth location. In fact, I had a pretty distinct impression during communion tonight: find a tabernacle. Not 100% sure what that means. But one of the things I love about multi-site is exploring the Promise Land. I feel like one of the spies looking for our next location. Really asking God to order our footsteps!
The Tabernacle got me thinking about the spirituality of space. Just thought I'd post a few thoughts. We totally underestimate how much geography affects spirituality. And we definitely see a different psychology in our different locations. I love movie theaters. And I really believe that the day is coming when we'll have a church in every theater in America. But I also know that movie theaters turn people into spectators. And we have to fight against that psychology. Coffeehouses, on the other hand, are conversational places. And I see that reflected on Saturday nights at Ebenezers.
I think leaders are environmental engineers in a sense. And churches need to be very intentional about finding spaces, redeeming spaces, and creating spaces. Leaders really need to cultivate a sixth sense that is sensitive to environmental factors. I know it doesn't seem super spiritual, but nearly fifteen chapters of the book of Exodus are devoted to the color of the curtains, scent of the incense, and clothing of the priests.
Don't underestimate the important of aesthetics!
When we built our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill, we knew we had to pass the Starbucks litmus test. We knew we had to create the right aesthetic so it'd be a place where people like to hang out. And we're always trying to find ways to upgrade the aesthetic. Super excited about adding some pictures to our walls. Pictures give the space personality. We're adding shots of artists who have performed at Ebz and pictures of DC on the lower level. And we're adding some artitistic pictures of Ebz on the main level. It's amazing the way a picture can change the feel of a space.
The Tabernacle got me thinking about the spirituality of space. Just thought I'd post a few thoughts. We totally underestimate how much geography affects spirituality. And we definitely see a different psychology in our different locations. I love movie theaters. And I really believe that the day is coming when we'll have a church in every theater in America. But I also know that movie theaters turn people into spectators. And we have to fight against that psychology. Coffeehouses, on the other hand, are conversational places. And I see that reflected on Saturday nights at Ebenezers.
I think leaders are environmental engineers in a sense. And churches need to be very intentional about finding spaces, redeeming spaces, and creating spaces. Leaders really need to cultivate a sixth sense that is sensitive to environmental factors. I know it doesn't seem super spiritual, but nearly fifteen chapters of the book of Exodus are devoted to the color of the curtains, scent of the incense, and clothing of the priests.
Don't underestimate the important of aesthetics!
When we built our coffeehouse on Capitol Hill, we knew we had to pass the Starbucks litmus test. We knew we had to create the right aesthetic so it'd be a place where people like to hang out. And we're always trying to find ways to upgrade the aesthetic. Super excited about adding some pictures to our walls. Pictures give the space personality. We're adding shots of artists who have performed at Ebz and pictures of DC on the lower level. And we're adding some artitistic pictures of Ebz on the main level. It's amazing the way a picture can change the feel of a space.
2 Comments:
Mark, you must be a kindred spirit, because I've been thinking about this a whole lot as well. The sense of space and design as it applies to environment is indeed prevelent in the Bible, not just in Exodus as you mention, but also in the descriptions of Solomon's temple and his other palacial compounds that wowed the Queen of Sheba.
We need to reclaim and redeem the spaces of the world. God is all about design and space...why should we be any different?
Redeeming spaces... so important. We talked about how space impacts us at the Soliton Sessions in Feb, Derek share that,
“We are social creatures that are shaped by the poetics of space... We need a deep sense of the otherness and the mystery of God so that we may learn to see the holy in the ordinary. A space that is fundamentally about an alternative consciousness, and nudges us again towards the numinous."
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