Through The Eyes Of A Guest

I recently began reading a book by Gary McIntosh called "The Exodus Principle" in which he discusses the idea of creating a servant hearted culture in a church family. It is quite possible I could have written 15 blogs about its content and I am not even half way through. This morning however an excerpt caught my eye that I felt led to share with our church and anyone else who cares for that matter. Listen to the experience of a first time guest to a church.

"when we entered the church, people were standing in small circles talking with their friends. Nobody paid any attention to us.

As we stood in the middle of the room, I caught the eye of a man my age, but he was too engrossed in conversation to reach out to someone he didn't know. At last an older woman came and introduced herself, brought us coffee, and introduced us to her husband and then another couple.

When the group broke up, we followed upstairs to the chapel, which was nearly full. Someone gave us a bulletin, but no one showed us where to sit. The only vacant seats were down in front, and we were afraid they might be saved.

We stood there, feeling awkward for what seemed like a long time, but we were again rescued by the woman who had brought us coffee. She ushered us down the aisle and asked some people to move over to make room for us.

One person made a significant difference. It has been months since we visited that church. I remember the pastor was evangelical, but I don't remember anything he said. I do remember the people who didn't have time for us and the one woman and her husband who did. That experience made me appreciate ushers and greeters and people in churches who make an extraordinary effort to tea g out and welcome newcomers."

How often do we find our selves engrossed in our circle of friends that we are oblivious to the new person that is seeking. Does our indifference to them make a difference? It certainly does.

But I thank God for those people who really understand why we exist as a church. As Aubry Malphurs once said, "The church is the only organization in the world that exists solely for those who do not belong to it."

BAM! That is why we exist and we need to make a difference...a BiG difference in that area.

May I challenge each of us (myself included) to put up our antennae for new faces in the crowd. May we step out of our comfort zones for just a moment and focus on the people God has called us to reach.

Outreach doesn't stop in some community event. Outreach continues when they walk through the door. Outreach is not a means to simply get people to come to church. It is a vehicle through which we welcome them in to our family.

So when a guests walks through our door, let us take hold of an incredible opportunity to complete the outreach process and WELCOME them, not to church, but to the family. That's being a difference maker.