Week 9 Preview - The Limitation of Google Maps

When I made my list of the 50 closest religious institutions near my home I used Google Maps as my research tool. I searched for “my city” and the word “churches” and was pleasantly surprised at the results- a map full of red dots and advertising pins. I centered the map on my neighborhood and zoomed in until there were around 50 results. My concern was that by searching for the word ‘churches’ I might miss out on the temples, mosques, centers, etc. Thankfully Google interpreted my request in the broad sense I intended and included those religions’ meeting locations as well.

I also thought I might miss out on some of the smaller religious gatherings such as home-based cell groups happening in my neighborhood. Interestingly enough, some of those have made their presence known to Google and can also be found online.

What I was surprised to find was that some of the local churches didn’t have a red dot. I didn’t realize this until I drove down the street and saw a couple of buildings that I know have weekend church services inside, but hadn’t made my list. I guess this makes sense- I doubt the Amish make it a big priority to keep up with search engine placement.

Not all churches these days meet in church buildings. Especially when church plants are getting started they may not be able to have their own building. Many meet in school gymnasiums or auditoriums, movie theaters, and hotel conference rooms. Often these young churches are on the move often during their pioneering stages and don’t sink down neighborhood roots until they become larger and more established.

This week I added two local churches to my list. The first is an Evangelical Covenant Church that meets in a nearby school. I found them after seeing their sign in the school parking lot that they are only allowed to put up on Sundays. The other I added is a Church of God of Prophecy. Maybe Google excluded them because they had one too many ‘of’s in their title.

I plan to go to one of these two churches this weekend.