Open Mic Church: The Vision

I've been collecting material for and writing my dissertation for some months now. I had the idea of an open mic event with the aim to evangelise, or tell people who are not Christians a little more about the hope that I as a Christian have in Jesus. I don't want to ram anything down anyone's throat or attack anyone with a Bible (though ironically I got called a 'Bible-basher' the other day!), but instead I want to create an environment where anyone can come, feel at home, enjoy themselves, and hopefully learn something too. I believe people who like open mic events will be more open to this than they would going into your average church, which they are not likely to enter anyway. I don't think I'm being unreasonable in making these assumptions though obviously there will be some exceptions.

The initial idea for all this came to me about fifteen months ago, and more and more as time has gone on I've began to question and wrestle with many aspects of it. People can say what they like to me about it, and largely they have. The positive stuff has been gratefully stored away, most of the negative (which has been considerably less) has been disregarded, and all the constructive criticism and questions have been taken on board, as I know I'm not infallible and I want to do this thing as well as I can. One thing I've been challenged on and questioned a lot myself recently is the very word 'church.' Many emerging churches/fresh expressions of church that I've read about seem so keen to connect with people that they aren't straight up about what they are aiming for or who they are. Basically, they dilute the gospel somewhat and shy away from using the word 'Jesus.' But like Dan Kimball points out in his book They Like Jesus but not the Church, many people have positive perceptions of Jesus but negative ones of church. I have always used the word 'church' with ACTS open mic because I want people to know that I am a Christian and have nothing to hide. But perhaps there IS a better way? Names are important. Perhaps it needs to be revised. Would ACTS Open Mic suffice? ACTS by the way is a twofold name, with it being both the book in the Bible where the Church began whilst also referring to the acts that open mic events require.

Before the February event, the vision was taking a hammering. I was fasting and praying about it, talking and thinking about it all the time, and pouring everything of myself into it-the advertising, practical considerations, getting 'the right people' there, finding and sorting the location, you name it. Leading up to and immediately after the event I was definitely under attack. I was most certainly not at my best in many areas. I put so much pressure on myself, and after it I was exhausted. This made me weak, tired, and vulnerable. Though I trusted in God, I didn't do so enough, and as open mics rely heavily on the personality of the host, I guess to an extent I was pretty proud and wanted everything to be great when really it wasn't. But as for ACTS Open Mic Church in Yeadon, it's a different story altogether. I'm not worried. I'm not driving myself crazy with unnecessary pressure. I'm not busting a gut plugging the thing and dreaming up three-step plans. Instead, I'm relaxed. The venue is arranged, the people God wants to come will come, it's being prayed for, and I'm at peace. You know why? Because God is awesome. And HE, not Matt Wright, is in control.


So, there's been confusion, doubt, questions, criticism, fear, and other negative emotions besides. But you know what? God is in there somewhere. And if you come to Yeadon cricket club on Wednesday 20th August at 7pm (a week today), you'll find Him.


Open mic
+ Open heart
+ Open mind
= God will speak to you


Comments welcome on the above
:)