What does Brookside have to do with Applebee’s®?

It’s an odd question but one that I've been asking more and more often. By now, you’ve probably heard that Brookside is considering the possibility of planting a new church. One of the questions I hear frequently is, “Why does Kentwood need another church?” And the answer that follows is, “Because not everybody likes to eat at Applebee’s.

Admittedly, that answer needs to be explained. For just a moment, try to imagine church as a restaurant. There are some restaurants that naturally appeal to particular kinds of people. For example, a friend of mine absolutely refuses to eat at Chinese restaurants. He simply has never liked the food and probably never will. That said, this friend has eaten at every burger joint on this side of the state. This is just the way God hard-wired him.

Restaurant owners are aware of this trend. Whenever there is an area of population growth, restaurants are quick to follow. The first one you may see is Applebee’s (usually a T.G.I. Friday’s isn’t too far away). Next, you’ll find a Pizza Hut, Panara Bread and a couple specialty diners. The point is that everyone can’t be expected to be happy with just Applebee’s. Some people are just hard-wired to prefer something else.

Yet, when it comes to church ministries, I often hear, “Brookside is such a great place. Why can’t everyone just come here?” To be sure, Brookside is a great place with a terrific ministry! However, some people are just hard-wired to prefer something else. Maybe they have a not-so-great past with a church that looks and feels a lot like Brookside or maybe the idea of “eating” at Brookside would be like checking out a Middle Eastern restaurant. It looks good, but the menu is in another language.

Whatever the case may be, God has wired his people in many different ways. One way that we honor that diversity is to create churches that reflect the unique tastes within our community.