Promise of a new future - Spacious place

by Rev Linda Hanson

I love the psalms. The flow between praise, lament and then back to praise. Psalm 18 starts with knowing God as deliverer in whom we take refuge. Then the psalmist acknowledges times of struggle where our footing isn’t as sure, where we are uncertain and cry to God for help and we are rescued.

“The Lord was my support. God brought me out into a spacious place; God rescued me because God delighted in me.” (Psalm 18: 18-19)

I love that phrase – spacious place. Spacious place. So welcoming, has room for everyone.

Spacious place is a great image for ministry. Church is about creating spacious places for all people - children, youth, young adults, adults, families, singles, retirees etc etc – all people regardless of race, gender, sexuality, class. God brings us into a spacious space of safety.

I have been looking at houses recently. Some houses have spacious places for the family to gather, others do not as the space is limited. Some houses have spacious places so guests are welcome, others do not. Spacious places have room for everyone to fit in.

I am reminded of Messy Church when I think of spacious places. Messy Church is not only a physical spacious place, but mentally a spacious place too.

Messy Church is Christ-centred and available and welcoming to all ages.  There is a strong emphasis on hospitality from the invitation, the welcome at the door, the knowing of people’s names, the offer of conversation and drinks to sharing worship and a sit-down meal for all.  The celebration is an invitation to worship through song, prayers and story.  Creativity in many forms is encouraged, nurtured and explored by people of all ages, together. In all parts it is a spacious place.

Bible Hub says the term "spacious place" often “symbolizes a state of divine deliverance, freedom, and blessing. It is used metaphorically to describe the relief and expansion experienced by individuals when God intervenes in their lives, rescuing them from distress and confinement.”[1]

Messy Church isn’t about being physically messy with paint and glue etc, but is about acknowledging the messiness of people’s lives. Our lives are messy. Through Messy Church we are creating space for God to enter people’s lives, to abide in the mess.

When I was a young Mum, my dream for the church was for there to be a “breast feeding welcome here” sticker placed at the front door of every church. I saw it would be signal to all young families that they were indeed welcome – crying infant and all. Mothers, according to the ABA (Australian Breastfeeding Association) website, are told that when they see the sign they can rest assured that they're entering a welcoming space where they and their baby are embraced with warmth and acceptance. Isn’t that what church is? A welcoming space? A spacious space?

According to the ABA, in order to become a Breastfeeding is Welcome Everywhere venue, a business needs two things:

• To be publicly accessible
• To have employees and management with welcoming attitudes

What a criteria! Our churches are publicly accessible. All we need now is for everyone to have welcoming attitudes. Being willing to create a spacious space.

What a lovely gift God gave the Israelites and has given us – a spacious place.
The spacious place is also indicative of God's grace. It is a place where believers experience the fullness of God's provision and the joy of His presence. The imagery of a spacious place serves to remind believers of the vastness of God's love and the breadth of God’s salvation.

We see here a link between spaciousness and renewal. God’s offer of new life is an offer to create spaciousness in one’s own life. It is also an offer for us to create a spacious place where God can intervene.

This is my hope for the church across Queensland to be spacious. To create spaces to welcome children, young people, adults, singles and families, retirees. Spaces where people will find God and invite their friends.

[1] Topical Bible: Spacious Place