Does it concern you that a high percentage of churches exist for themselves with little thought to the world around them they were sent to reach?
I’ve known of churches that lock the front door—and keep it locked, even on Sunday morning—because the members all know to enter from the parking lot, which is in the rear.
I’ve known of churches that refused to erect a sign in front announcing the times of the Sunday services because doing so would detract from the appearance of the lawn.
I’ve known of pastors announcing from the pulpit that “the youth will meet tonight at Tommy’s” and “the ladies will meet next Wednesday morning with Elsie Mae.” Outsiders in the congregation are not stupid; they know they’ve just been told they would not be welcome at these events.
I know of churches that put no greeters outside their doors, erect no signs with directions for first-timers (where to park, the entrance to use, the location of the nursery), and make no attempt to identify and welcome newcomers.
When your church makes no effort to secure the names and addresses of first-time guests, you signal to them that they are unwanted in this church.
When no contact is made with visitors following the service—to let them know how welcome they are, to see if they have questions, etc.—the silence is eloquent. They are not wanted. (When a friend said to me that “Tuesday night visitation doesn’t work anymore,” I replied that the kind of contact we’re suggesting can be as simple as an e-mail or phone call.)
“Surely,” some readers will protest, “outsiders like the Carlsons are welcome in almost every congregation. The problem is the churches are just doing a poor job of presenting themselves and expressing their true convictions.”
Sorry. I’m not buying that.
When you lock the front door, when no greeters are present, no information is given, no welcome is extended and no followup is done, are we to believe this congregation really and truly does want people like the Carlsons in spite of all the evidence to the contrary? Highly unlikely.
The typical church, to our everlasting shame, wants outsiders to join so long as they do not require too much time or energy to assimilate into the life of the congregation.
They would like to have new members if they’re not too much trouble.
While we would be loathe to admit it, what we despise and dread with a horror is to be bothered by outsiders with glaring needs and obvious sins.
No wonder the pastor feels guilty extending the Gospel invitation Sunday after Sunday to the same unresponsive crowd. The ones who need to hear the message have been gently turned away into the cold.
God help us.
Postscript. I hate to leave this subject without making a few suggestions on how to remedy this problem. However, every church is different, and I suspect the suggestions could vary widely and run into the hundreds. So, I will offer one huge suggestion …
Ask an unchurched friend with a helpful spirit or a church-going friend in a nearby town to visit your worshp services in the role of what we sometimes call a “mystery shopper.” You want him/her to put themselves in the place of a first-time visitor who is unchurched. As soon as the service ends, meet them at a nearby coffee shop and pick their brains on what they saw and did not see, what they needed and was not offered, how they were treated—every detail.
Then, call your leadership together and share the results with them. Leave your friend’s name out of it.
You cannot do everything by next Sunday, but you can get started. God bless you as you do. After all, next Sunday, the Carlsons may be sitting in a pew in front of you, pastor. On behalf of all such needy souls, we pray you get this right.
