More on the Power of the Pews

It has been interesting seeing the response to the post on the pews. I was actually surprised to get several emails that were even toned somewhat defensive about pews. Some were arguing that it is wrong and senseless to even think about room set up. Some said that it is pointless to even think about pews since "we are the church", and too bad if people don't like pews. The sense is that the people are what cause people to want to be in a church, not the pews. (Which I fully agree!)

However, I don't agree with those saying it doesn't matter - nor that the room set up does not convey values. In our homes, we are particular about how we set up the living room. What we hang up, the type of furniture, the arrangement. When you walk into a home, it projects values and personality of the family there. Same for a church's weekly meeting space. I understand house churches actually do project "family" and "community" easily, as they meet in homes. But past that in formal buildings, the way we set up a room does reflect who we are and our values.

For me, I am now fascinated with why new churches buy pews or take out the old ones and replace them with new pews. This was furniture of the 1300's that was used for a reason back then. Today we don't have that same reason, we have other reasons. That is why "theater" type of seating is now in a lot of churches. I can say I would much, much rather have pews than theater seating! That is a whole other discussion though.

I don't think most people in churches really think about why we have long bench like pews in churches. I think it is just accepted "this is a church, so we have pews". Next time you are in a church that has them. Look at them. Really ask, why do we have the seating like this in rows? What does it project? How does it limit what we do.

I actually wanted to post again on this - to just give one reason about why pews do matter. To some people, they love them. To some, it represents something they grew up with. To some, we need to understand that people have impressions of church and meetings that we need to understand.

One reason to consider the power of pews - it does matter to some people

** Please know I put all this in perspective as I said in my last post on this. Room set up is least of the world concerns out there with poverty, AIDS, abuse, all the corruption and evil etc. So, when I write this I am having that the whole time in my heart and mind. Also, the "church" is the people, and the people represent Jesus, not pews or whatever we sit in. So the example below, he is now in community and he is not leaving us as we move to the new building with pews. But he is concerned and does also want to see the room set up change as we are able to in the future.

In the discussion about pews on this blog and with the move, this past Sunday night at our worship gathering I spoke to a few people and one person, a young guy in his twenties shared some insight from his perspective. He emailed me about this and gave me permission to post it here. I thought I would give an example of living proof of what I am trying to say. He is one perspective, not everyone. But at our church, this is what I am talking about in terms of understanding how people view things and why it does matter to some as they first experience entering a church community from the outside.

Here is the words of someone in our church, in his twenties:

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"I have been part of Vintage Faith Church for over a year. Before that I was not attending church. At all. I was addicted to methamphetamine. I was in desperate need of help. I had been suffering for years. One Sunday morning I resolved to clean up. It was one of the defining moments of my life. Part of that resolve was to start attending church. I went to Vintage that night. I had been there once before. I was in very bad shape. It had been a very emotional day. I sat on my skateboard, near the curtains. It was safe. I stayed long enough to fill out a yellow card saying I would like to get involved. I came the next week. And the week after. I still sat off to the side, it made me feel secure- I needed the anonymity. I was in a very fragile state. I was new to the whole church experience. It was overwhelming. But I knew that I could feel comfortable at Vintage.

I have been drug free for over a year. I am leading a ministry team. I am majoring in addiction studies at Bethany University. In one year I will be a certified substance abuse counselor. I have been redeemed. I feel like I have become the person I was meant to be. And I am now able to give back to others, to help people escape the pain that I lived through.

I could not have done it without God.

The issue being discussed about pews and seating is actually important, at least to me. The turning point for me going to a church worship gathering, was the first three or four weeks. It was the most crucial period. I was walking wounded. I was scared. Insecure. I needed to feel safe. If I walked into a room and the only seating had been rows of pews I would have bailed the first night. For someone who is accustomed to pew seating it may not seem like an issue. To somebody walking in off the dark street. Ragged. Weary. Shamed. To that person the pews are like a fish bowl. A harsh spotlight focused on you. They are stigmatizing. They force you to sit a particular way. They are controlling. Exclusive. They are not natural. They don’t make you feel safe or welcome, rather, they make you feel like an intruder. An outsider.

You may not understand this perspective. You are used to them; pews are synonymous with church. But they are not what you expect when you go to church that is supposed to feel like a family. Instead, the pews seem like box seats for the saved, who fit them perfectly.

What is the mission of the church? If it is not to change lives. If it is not to reach out to those who need Jesus most, then what good is the church? It is nothing more than a glorified social club for the saved, complete with members-only seating. That's how pews come across to me. I understand that is not the intention. But for someone like me, coming in from the outside, that is the truth about them.

I know I am not the only person who feels this way. I know that there are people in Santa Cruz, right now, suffering the way I did. I know that Jesus can redeem their lives. I know they are valuable. I know they have potential. I know they need to feel safe and welcomed. The manner in which a church arranges their seating and environment does make a different in communicating safety and warmth. I would like a large living room environment where there is warmth and eye contact. Pews are evocative of a courtroom. I would not like to feel as if I am standing trial or be in a similar environment on a pew like a courtroom where we watch people get judged and condemned.

I know that the pews are a potential stumbling block to people. If I walked into Vintage over a year ago and encountered pews I would not have stayed. I did not know the people yet. So all I would see is the pews. I would not have wanted to feel forced into what they communicate or do. It may sound trite, but it is true. Is it worth holding on to a traditional form of seating which has the potential of keeping someone like myself from desiring to take further steps to be part of a the church community - and more importantly getting to then understand that I can be redeemed?

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Again - this is one example. But to those who are critics of what I said. I want to show from a real life and how it does make a difference. This fellow is not a complainer, nor is he saying he is now leaving the church when we move to a building with pews. But I hope this helps give you an understanding of some of what was in my heart and mind as I wrote about pews. If you want to email who wrote this and ask him further questions, contact me and I can get you in touch with him.