After three years of living in central Ohio I'm still intrigued by the ornamental lighthouses in front of homes. A visit to Marblehead Lighthouse on Lake Erie increased my fascination with home lighthouses for spiritual reasons.

For more than a century the Marblehead Lighthouse was the beacon of guidance and hope for ships navigating past Marblehead Peninsula near Sandusky Bay on Lake Erie. This lighthouse utilized a Fresnel lens, which magnified light so well the lighthouse could be seen 15 or more miles away.  Built in 1821, it is the longest continually operating lighthouse on the Great Lakes. But today its primary function is a historical monument as part of the Ohio State Parks system. The reason is simple: boats and ships no longer need the lighthouse to navigate the coast of Lake Erie. Each boat has its own electronic navigation systems that are even more effective than the lighthouse.

For centuries the Christians have used the lighthouse as a symbol of their mission to communities. The idea is that the church shines the light of Christ on the neighborhood, so that people will be attracted to the church to learn about Christ. It was also symbolic of the church being the place where people could receive guidance and direction for their Christian walk.

Today the waves of change in society are buffeting our churches. The percentage of Americans who will go to a church for direction and guidance, let along worship services, continues to decline. More and more of our churches feel like lighthouses that were more influential in the past than today. Just as the owners of ships adapted to changes in navigation, so churches are also making changes to participate in the mission of Christ.

In addition to being a lighthouse, churches are helping members and families turn their homes and streets and neighborhoods into lighthouses. Just as electronics transformed navigation, so computers and the Internet are multiplying resources for discipleship. These members of churches are more and more shining the light of Christ by sharing about the Savior in their own neighborhoods, instead of expecting their church to do it alone. They are discipling friends who at this time want to know about God, want people to pray for them, but are not yet willing to visit a church.

I'm convinced that in time some of the people that God attracts to the home lighthouses will also be drawn to participate in a church. At the "community lighthouse," the congregation can share in equipping them to build their own home lighthouses, so that Christ's light will shine all the more brightly in their neighborhood.