Excape-Proof Toddler Beds and such

Sophia recently moved to a big girl bed and has a wonderful transition… an amazing transition really. I had all sorts of fears about her moving to a toddler bed – and my number one fear was that she would get out and wonder around. And by wonder around I mean wonder into my much-needed beauty sleep. Much to my surprise though, she would stay in her bed until mommy or daddy came to get her out.

And then it happened.

One night shortly after putting her down for the night, as Jan and I were in the midst of deep conversation, out runs the cutest toddler you have ever laid eyes on and promptly tells us that she wants to hang out with us.

I imagine that as she lay there this thought slowly crept through her mind (along with the soundtrack to 2001: A Space Odyssey) “Wait a minute… you mean I can get out?”

Yesterday at our staff meeting, I had the opportunity to share a little bit from the book that I have been reading, Essential Church? by Thom Rainer and Sam Rainer III (see also here and here for common posts). I shared a phrase that caught my attention, “It should be harder to leave a church than to join a church.” Much like Sophia and her new toddler bed, isn’t the goal to remain inside? To enjoy the comfort and warmth that they each can provide?

I don’t think that Thom and Sam are saying that our membership requirements need to be relaxed – I actually think they feel the opposite that we make it too easy for people to get on the rolls. It is more about how easily people can break into the culture that exists at the local church.

What an awesome question for the SPRC to deal with (staff parish relations committee for all you non-Methodist types). How can we make it more and more difficult for people to freely leave our church? To exit via the back door, stage left or whatever?

But here is what hit me as I was leaving for lunch… this question just isn’t for the SPRC. It’s a question that the trustees should be wrestling with. The Christian Education committee should be challenging themselves with too. In fact, what aspect of our church shouldn’t be? How can we, as Thom and Sam might ask, make our church so essential to those that go here, that they cannot leave?

Good questions, tough questions, exciting questions. Now you’ll have to excuse me while I go chase Sophia down and put her to bed.