By: Matthew J. Mouser
In the last few months, a question was asked of me by a brother in the church I serve in:
“Matt, why do you park in the very last spot in the parking lot on Sundays?”
When I arrive at church on Sunday mornings, I have my pick of where to park since I am ordinarily the first, but have always chosen to park in the furthest spot from the church or even on the street when we are expecting bigger numbers. The question that this young man was asking was a valid one and I’m glad he asked it. In a few more words, here are the reasons why I park with intention at church.
Ultimately, my hope in writing this is that those who are reading will take on a certain perspective about parking at church, the local assembly of the saints gathered.
The Example Set
The first reason is less of a significant spiritual reason and more practical. Growing up, my dad parked in the very last spot in the parking lot at church. Our family was often one of the first groups at the church because of my mom’s role as the pianist. He wasn’t the pastor. There wasn’t some special reason why he was there other than faithful service to the local church. (Perhaps I can write about dad and his remarkable example another time).
In the midst of writing this, I told my dad that I was writing on parking habits and he was quick to remind me that this wasn’t just something that he came up with or felt was important. Just as he modeled this for me, it was also modeled for him by his dad. Even into his later years, my Papa would park at the cemetery across the road from the church he was a member of because he was still physically able to make the walk.
But my Dad’s choice in his parking spot wasn’t superstitious or random. Instead, there were many reasons, many of which I’ve adopted and will explain, why this was a weekly habit that was modeled for him by his dad.
Expectation
“And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
Mark 5:34
Let me begin this aspect by stating that I am fully aware that a number on a page does not indicate whether or not the worship gathering went well. However, it is a good thing when more people participate in the singing, praying, and preaching of God’s Word. For that reason, I park at the back of the parking lot each Sunday, expecting that there will be enough people to show so that the entire parking lot is needed.
It is important for the people of God who believe in His power and will to expect His faithful work in the lives of those who attend the gathering of the saints. We pray because there is expectation that the Lord will work. We pay attention to the preaching of the Word because we expect that God will use His Word to guide our lives, convict of sin, and continue to sanctify us.
In order for the scriptures to have an impact on people, they need to first be present to hear these things. If I expect God to move through His word, it makes sense that I would also expect God to impress on people the need to be present.
In Mark 5, we read of a woman who was plagued for so many years of her life with a disease. She believed that Jesus could heal her if she could just get close enough to Him. Her belief was the reason she was expecting to be healing. For those of us who have faith, our actions ought to reflect that on belief in who God is and His ability to have a serious impact on the lives of those who have believed and those whom He is drawing near.
Choosing to park in a distant space is an intentional commitment I make rooted in an expectation that God will move in and through our church. It is not merely enough to pray for revival. We must prepare for it. One way we prepare for revival is by making intentional choices each Sunday. What can you and your family do to demonstrate an expectation for God to move and to make space for faith to grow where you worship?
Service By Parking
“…even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Matthew 20:28
The second intentional reason I park as far away as possible from the front door of the church is because I hope to serve the rest of the congregation in that way. There are a host of people who need to park closer to the door than me: families with babies and young children, the elderly who find walking longer distances difficult, and guests who might not be as familiar with our facilities as those who are members and regular attenders.
By parking far away, I hope that I am serving these various groups well by making more convenient parking spots available. I think that this attitude is also something that can be applied in a number of different areas of church life and everyday life. There are churches that have designated parking for pastors and that mindset does not resonate with the humble, servant-leadership of Jesus, though there is value in honoring the pastor.
Our Lord Jesus exemplified for us this attitude of service in Matthew 20:28 (ESV) as well as in the act of washing the saints feet in John 13.
“...even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Just as Jesus came to serve, Christians ought to have the same mind to do all that we are able to serve others in a humble manner. Parking might not seem like an important aspect of mutual service toward other Christians, yet through our parking choices each week we have an opportunity to prioritize the needs of our brothers and sisters above our own needs.
Our weekly parking choice reflects not only expectation and service but also discipline.
Discipline in Parking
“For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”
Hebrews 12:11
It would certainly be easier for me or anyone else to park in the first open space as I arrive at church but there is a great deal of value in the additional energy spent walking from a further space. As the author of Hebrews states, it is less than pleasant to have to walk a longer distance but certainly leads to benefits for the congregation as a whole. To deny ourselves is to serve the rest of the congregation and create a habit that is beneficial for us personally in physical fitness.
Discipline is often a negative word around the church because it leads us to think about sin and the consequences of that. However, I would offer the reminder that we should consider formative discipline with an equal weight. It helps us to be more like Christ, to consider one another, and to form lasting habits that communicate our love for one another.
Concluding Thoughts
It might seem like a small thing but my hope in sharing this habit is that the churches our readers attend would benefit from a habit like this and make progress in expecting great things from God, serving one another, and being disciplined to the glory of God.
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