Three of my favorite metaphors for church. They each represent a connection point and not a destination. If you are on a Bridge, you are on your way to somewhere else. If you’re in an airport, you are on your way to somewhere else. If a plant is in a Greenhouse, it has not reached its final destination. No matter how much we decorate and dress these up, they will never be final destinations for people or plants. They serve major purposes. Bridges help us cross boundaries. Airports are places to refuel and launch to other places. Greenhouses are places of growth and development. But they are not the final destination.

Like these, the church should be the connection point for disciples heading out into the world. The church helps us cross boundaries, refuel, grow and develop. But the pew should not become the final destination.

Do we talk about church as the destination or the connection point? Do we count Sunday attendance and Bible knowledge or 24/7 servanthood and obedience as the height of maturity? Are we connecting missionaries to the world or providing entertainment and services for consumers in our churches? Where we place the destination and the goal for people matters.