I grew up in "The Golden Age '' of the mall. Believe it or not, there was once a time when many stores would be located in a giant, temperature-controlled, indoor facility. You could go from shop to shop and find anything you could want or even imagine without driving to other places, and without leaving the facility.
And convenient shopping was not the only benefit offered by the malls. They became gathering places for people. "Old folks" soon discovered that malls made excellent places to walk for exercise. Younger people began gathering in malls to just "hang out". The food courts provided great variety to satisfy everybody. Almost every mall had a movie theater. Malls were the perfect place for a date. And malls served as the perfect place for "kids from one to ninety-two" to "people watch".
But somewhere along the way, things changed at the malls. Some of it had to do with a problem that has haunted mankind since The Garden of Eden - the desire for something newer and shinier and hipper and cooler. Anytime a new mall was built on the other side of town, the old mall found itself pretty well abandoned. Ironic, since this also describes what the old mall had done to downtown shopping when it opened its doors in the suburbs.
Of course, that only explains what happened to old malls when new malls were built. But even the shiny, hip and cool new malls are suffering now. Can you guess why?
There are certainly many reasons for the slow demise of the newer malls. But my impression is that the rise of online shopping is the main reason, or at least a significant reason, for why malls are no longer the place to be. You can now buy anything you want and have it delivered right to your door. It saves time and effort and energy. And it saves the anger you experience when the item you wanted or needed at a store in the mall is no longer there, the last one on the shelf having been purchased a few minutes ago by one of the handful of people who still go to the mall, and the bored kid working there won't go and see if there might be another one in the storage room. It reminds me of the words of an old friend that seem particularly appropriate in this situation. When asked why he didn't play golf, he said, "Who needs the frustration?"
Even the newer, shinier, hipper and cooler malls that decimated the older malls are suffering now due to the rise of online shopping. Now the new malls are facing the same predicament that their inception brought upon the older malls. Ironic, right?
Are the churches of America moving in the same direction as the mall? Are people being attracted to the next newer, shinier, hipper, cooler church? Are they deciding to "go to church" online - to literally have the church delivered to their home? Are they opting to save the time and effort and energy needed to attend and be involved in the life of a church? [And, please understand that I realize there are times when a "digital church" is necessary and a great blessing for those who cannot attend in person.]
Of course, attending a digital church is far better than not attending at all. I've been watching such a church grow in Tennessee this past year, and I know they are doing wonderful things in and through the "Our Safe Harbor Church". One of the reasons they are succeeding is through the personal attention and care that overflows from the lead minister to all of the people who join online.
But I hope that the idea of gathering in person to worship and encourage one another does not go the way of downtown shopping and malls. Sure, it takes time and energy and effort just to get there, and more to be involved in the life of the church. And sure, not every church is new and shiny and hip and cool.
But the life of the church is in its people - and you will be blessed beyond what you can even imagine when you step up and say, "I want to be a part of this Body of believers; and I want to give myself to the life and mission of this church."
Old fashioned? Sure. And yet, it is wonderful! Aren't you ready for this?
Welcome back to The Mall!
Ambrose Ramsey | Pastor and Shepherd
