Have you heard about The House of Many Lamps?
It was a church in Southern Europe in the 16th century.
As legend has it, the architect intentionally built the sanctuary without windows. At each seat, he installed receptacles for congregants to bring their own bronze lamps from home, lighting them at a central torch upon entry and burning them from their chair.
The purpose behind the practice was obvious.
The brightness of the sanctuary depended on the presence of the people. If one person was absent, their seat would be dark. If many were absent, the room would be very dim.
The church was only as bright as the people who kept it lit.
Not much has changed since 16th century Europe. Today, large sanctuaries line America’s streets, but the church is still only as bright as people who shine their light (Matthew 5: 14).
The House of Many Lamps did more than track attendance. It also exposed the need for congregational accountability. Darkness cast a sermonic shadow. When a “lamp” was missing, the other lamps’ mission was to find it.
When you gather with your church family each week, a “lamp” will likely be missing. It’s not as obvious in 21st-century houses of worship as the 16th-century House of Many Lamps, but the same urgency applies. If a “lamp” is missing, look “where,” discover “why,” and decide “how” to get them back.
The House of Many Lamps got it right.
The ultimate question is never “How big is your church,” but “How bright?” |
