Jacob’s Well started a second service on its 1st anniversary. That was Sept.2007, and the service is at 6 on Sunday evening. All our study pointed at this as the time to do it. It’s great, but poorly attended. We didn’t launch it right, we pushed it, but only in the context of what we are already did that has tons of momentum. Now it is time to relaunch it.
Since we don’t have unused money, resources, time or people to do the launch, there was only one option. Use who we have already to launch it. This not only gives us a several hundred person launch team, it reminds us why we are here in the first place – to be about what God is up to. That keeps us on target and helps us keep out of reach of the grasp of institutionalism.
So we are suspending our popular 10:30 am service for the 4 weeks before Easter to be about one, and only one thing as a community for those weeks. Getting a couple 100 new people to Jacob’s Well for whom the 6 pm service will be normative.
I don’t know of any church who has ever done this, but I think it is a noble experiment that has to at least teach us to never do it again. We will accompany the switch with a heavy dose of advertising in the area and a major push on getting out into the community to meet people, as well as encouraging everyone to invite others during this month.
That’s the short intro to it all. See the COUNTDOWN on our website (upper right). It is ticking down the moments until we start the second venue on Feb. 24 at 6 p.m.
Precarious Pastor 
I have always heard that God has 3 ways to respond to our requests; yes, no or not now. Is it possible that the response that we have had with the attendance to this point is in fact a “God thing”? I also pray that the families that are not able to make it on Sunday evening are faithfully patient people.
I think I understand your comment about institutionalism however JW is about becoming an institution regardless of what you call it. We are all a part of God’s family coming from different places. We seek the path or institution which works, from our prospective, to bring us closer to God’s will for us.
But may this institution breathe the life of God, not squeeze it out. And may its bricks and mortar be the lives of people. It is with these that Christ chose to build his Church.
Amen