This afternoon I ventured into Subway in order to enjoy the £2.99 Student Value Meal (which may sustain me through the duration of my undergraduate degree). As I approached the counter I realised that the features of that specific branch were almost identical to every other Subway that I have entered. I reckon that as it is part of a franchise, they expect a customer to experience a similar service every time they enter a Subway branch. They normally offer identical services such as:
- The menu and price list
- The ingredients used in sandwiches and snacks
- The questions asked by the employee - "Which bread would you like?","Any salads/sauces?", etc.
- The décor of the restaurant - Tables, chairs, wallpaper, etc.
- The crisps and drinks available
- etc...
As the 'Sandwich Artist' prepared my Italian BMT I pondered to myself, what if the Church resembled a franchise? What if at every meeting on any given Sunday;
- The order of service was exactly the same
- The same songs were sung
- The same reading was spoken from only one translation of the Bible
- The same sermon was preached
- The same events were to happen throughout the week
Imagine that there was a central body that decided what the Church was to do (in response to the Holy Spirit)? I recognise that certain denominations partly resemble this notion, but let's hyperbolize for the moment. What if there was total control over the meetings of every congregation that met to worship the LORD?
What would the benefits of such an institution be? Does God intend for the Church to be organised in this way? Should there be such diversity when it comes to worshipping God? Is this notion just preposterous?
It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on this matter. Please feel free to comment below, or to email me at jbowermusic@gmail.com
God Bless,
J
P.S. I'll be in Bangor from Thursday-Sunday of this week. Give me a shout if you would like to meet up.
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