I always loved family vacations, but I was always so nervous when we’d attend a new church. You know the feeling… not knowing anyone, nobody talking to you, everyone hating you… that sort of thing! Now, we all know it’s ludicrous to think that a church full of nice people actually HATE the guests that attend, but what are WE as a group doing to make sure our GUESTS know we don’t hate them?
It’s a scary thing to talk to new people, but it’s even scarier for them to attend! We have our friends and we’re comfortable with the conversations we “need” to catch up on, and too often we get in our happy bubble and are scared to be stretched beyond that. Well, no one grows without work, and I hope to stretch our teens in this area.
I’ve used the term guest intentionally in that it conveys a more “homey” idea. When you have a guest in your home you try to do everything you can to make him or her comfortable, and they’re your primary object of service. You don’t have that mentality with people that just drop by to visit… salesmen, open house visitors, garage sale attendees… but you’ll really host a guest.
Lets do all we can to really be good hosts when people come into our group! By nature I’m an introverted person. So was Pastor Rench. So were many of you who have learned to push past that and see outside of yourself. When I was on the singing groups for Heartland Baptist Bible College, I was forced out of my comfort zones weekly, singing in a different church and staying in a different house every other day or so. That’ll stretch you! I learned simply how to be friendly to new people… certain questions to ask… certain topics to bring up… how to relate to people’s jobs, their families, their interests and hobbies. All I’m saying is that greeting guests is a learned and a practiced behavior. When you’re at church… practice!
- Love them. It starts with loving them enough to want to see them grow in Christ at our church. You never know who comes or what the reasons are for coming until you talk with them.
- Greet them. “Hi! It’s really good to see you here today! Thank you for coming… I know it’s always scary coming to a new place… My name is ___________. What’s your name? It’s really good to have you here today ___________.”
- Relate with them. “So you’re homeschooled, huh? Me too! I love having the free time…” “Oh you go to________ school? Cool! I guess I’m your rival at __________ ” 🙂 “Did you come with your family? Do you live here in town? Did you just move here? From where? Oh cool! I’ve only seen pictures of __________ but it seems like a cool state…”
- Continue with them. Here’s the hard part, even for extroverted people. Learn to stretch yourself here and it will REALLY help people. Guests may only come once, but don’t leave them at just your first greeting… “Hey, you can sit up with us if you want. Have you met my friend ________?” Or, others will come back over the weeks, but you’ve already greeted them and told them your name, you’ve already asked them every question you can think of… don’t give up! If you go back to #1, love them, you’ll want to see them comfortable! CONTINUE with them. Have them sit with you. Talk with them like you do your other friends. Include them in activities! Joke with them. Encourage them to come to the next service… just think from their perspective and love others.
Being friendly and communicating it goes against our nature sometimes (or always!), but where else would it be more spiritually beneficial than at church? Love, greet, relate and continue with guests… there’s only good that comes from that!
Comments
From the time my wife and I came to Calvery Baptist Church we have felt like we ave been a part of the family, and with much prays and thought about where we need to be we became members. From the day we came we fell that this is where GOD wants us to me. With every thing going on in our lifes we know that there is always someone we can go to and talk with and the family is there for us.
Thank You all so very much