It’s that time of year where churches get lots of visitors. Some come with family members over Christmas. Others are on holidays. Still others do their annual church visit to a carols or a Christmas service. Have you ever thought that whether they ever come back to church again might depend on you?
While traveling up the coast on Sunday, Mick and I had the experience of visiting another church. We parked the car and walked towards the church buildings.
Not one person stepped forward to welcome us. We walked into the church, which was empty, so we went to the hall. We began to think we had the service time wrong as people milled around in groups or with cups of tea, but not one person came forward to welcome us.
At that point, if I had not been a Christian, I would have walked out and never gone back, deciding it was all too hard. I couldn’t help thinking what a bad witness it was.
When people come into our church, there is always someone at the door with a smile to welcome them, to show them where to go, hand out books and generally make them feel glad they came. I know that’s how it happens at our church because that’s what happened when we visited the church we now belong to. It was on of several reasons why we joined that church along with strong bible teaching and good music.
Week after week I see it happening in our church as people make an effort to talk to newcomers. But back to the church we visited. We walked out and stood outside, feeling foolish.
Eventually a person came up and directed us and put a newsletter and bible in our hands. We went and found a seat. The songs and the sermon were all good, but this church let itself down badly by its attitude towards newcomers. At the end of the service no-one made an effort to come and chat as like two lost sheep we stood around with a cup of tea in our hands. To a non Christian such an uncaring and unfriendly attitude to newcomers could be devastating.
So this Christmas when people come to your church, please make an effort to smile and introduce yourself and make them welcome. It might be just the thing they need, especially if they are lonely and feeling out of place. It might be just what they need to make them feel there is something there for them and that it’s worth coming back again.
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