The Ministry of the Cube

Last week several of our staff members went to a conference in Seattle where one of the conference speakers named Tim Keller posed an incredible question that every church should honestly answer. He said:



If your church suddenly vanished from your community, would anyone around you notice or would they care?

This is a question that has been rolling over and over in my mind as I think about Council Road Baptist Church. I can honestly say that if my church pulled out of Oklahoma City, not only would it be noticed but it would also be incredibly missed by people from all kinds of backgrounds. One of the biggest reasons that I can say this with great confidence is because of the ministry that is taking place on a daily basis at The Cube.

In late February, we implemented a new check in system at the Cube which has helped us to understand who is coming in on a daily basis. Today, Bruce Caplinger, our recreation minister, gave me some stastistics that just blew me away. I think some of these findings may really surprise you.

From February 13, 2006 to May 24, 2006:

3945 people have registered at the Cube

• 61.84% being male
• 38.16% being female

The church affiliation of these people are:

• 1802 people (45.68%) attend other churches in the area.
• 715 people (18.12%) are members of Council Road
• 1384 people (35.08%) do not claim to have a church home
• 44 people (1.11%) are volunteers and staff.

The largest people groups using the Cube are:

• 911 people (23.08%) are High School students
• 688 people (17.42%) are in the age range of 21-30
• 674 people (17.08%) are in Middle School
• 407 people (10.31%) are Senior Adults

There are 217 different grade schools, middle schools, high schools and colleges represented among the people who have registered at the Cube.

The Ethnic background of the people attending:

• 1329 people (33.67%) are African American
• 2056 people (52.09%) are Caucasian
• 227 people (5.75) are Hispanic

Though there are many conclusions that can be drawn from these statistics, it is certain that the ministry of the Cube is working and working well. I am amazed at the number conversations I have had with people that do not attend church who have said to me how amazed they are that a church would build a 4.5 million dollar facility and open it up for free. I have been able to tell more people about the free gift of salvation using the gift of the Cube to Oklahoma City.

It is sad to me that many churches have developed a country club reputation in their community rather than having the reputation of being a group of genuine Christ-followers. I believe that God expects His followers to grow a better reputation in their communities and our church should lead the way in this challenge. I believe that Council Road is called to set the example of leadership by encouraging other churches to open up their eyes and their doors to the people around them. The best way to do this is by our example. God has given His people resources and we need to use them to effectively share the gospel with people.

This past Sunday night, it was really exciting to see several people baptized in our baptismal event who were saved as a result of the ministry of the Cube. This is working and God is using us in this city. I am so thankful to our church for allowing us to open up these doors on a daily basis to people at no charge. This month, Kyle sent out a card asking people to give to the Cube and I want to echo that request. Your dollars given to the Cube will make a difference for the Kingdom of God.