OLD COUCH - FREE TO A GOOD HOME

Andy Stanley had this to say about churches that hold on to broken church programs and out of date traditions. He used "the old, ugly couch" as an example.

People keep the old, ugly couch – even when they move! It doesn’t even occur to them that they could just leave the couch and walk away. The couch is now filled with memories. They originally bought the couch because it was a place to sit (it had a purpose and was functional). But, over time, they fell in love with the couch. It is not carried with them because it still serves a practical reason…it now has memories attached to it. It is loved. It is cherished. Yet, the average person could walk into your house…and draw very different conclusions!

When we fall in love with programming (how we have always done it), we keep it around even when it no longer serves a function. Over time we all have couches we have got to get rid of. If we believe eternity is at stake, the couches need to go! Identify the couches that need to go. Get them out of the house (the church). Some will protest."But, everyone is in love with the stupid couch!" We must get our leaders to see these things for what they are! Identify the ugly couches in our ministries and get rid of them.

We don’t have time to drag around expensive, ineffective couches!

At CATF we work hard to keep moving out what doesn't work and adding what will work. Gone are the days that a church has tons of programs just because the church down the street has them or because "we have always done it that way". WE are called to be what God has called us to be.

So, what's the old ugly couch that you are holding on to. Let's all leave that couch behind. Let's be mean and lean - reaching and raising up disciples for Christ.

NO UGLY COUCHES ALLOWED!