During the By Design session, the Granger crew talked about the importance of ambiance. I could beat that drum all day long! Fifteen chapters of Exodus are devoted to the aesthetics of the tabernacle. The colors and scents were important enough for God to give them Scripture space.

Here is the key issue church environmentalists need to ask and answer: how do you want people to feel when they walk through the door? Too much of our planning is intellectual. Too little is emotional. We focus on what we want people to know. And that’s important. But we also need to help people feel truth.

Here is my major take away.

We need to create identification points for the unchurched folks who walk through our door. Redeeming a song or using a piece of pop culture gives us cultural capital. People need to feel like we’re in it with them. That is half the battle.

One of the greatest compliments I can get after a message is someone saying: that sermon was for me. When we’re really anointed by the Holy Spirit and in touch with the times then people will feel like we’re reading their mail.

Identification points!