A church consultant was hired...
Illustration
Object:
A church consultant was hired to help a struggling church. The church had been in
decline for over twenty years and was no longer attracting young people and families
with children. Leaders within the church were concerned so they hired a consultant to
help them.
At the first meeting, people from the church were asked to list the church's strengths. Ed raised his hand and said that he has found the people in the church to be very friendly. "Everyone within the church is friends," Ed explained, "We are just a friendly congregation." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement; they all viewed themselves as a friendly church. With great enthusiasm, Julie told of people standing in the narthex before worship talking with their friends. Again there was agreement.
The consultant told them that they need to stop promoting themselves as a friendly church. "Every church views itself as being friendly," he told them. Even some of the coldest churches claim they are friendly. They should practice radical hospitality, making sure every first-time guest to their church is made to feel welcome. Instead of claiming to be such a friendly church they need to promote that guests can make new friends in their church. The church is a place where new people in the community are welcome and make friends. By making guests feel special and welcome, the church will begin to grow again. To be honest these comments were met with suspicion.
While some of the people who attended that meeting might have been skeptical, others were willing to give it a try. Jesus teaches about radical hospitality as he challenges believers, "Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."
At the first meeting, people from the church were asked to list the church's strengths. Ed raised his hand and said that he has found the people in the church to be very friendly. "Everyone within the church is friends," Ed explained, "We are just a friendly congregation." Everyone nodded their heads in agreement; they all viewed themselves as a friendly church. With great enthusiasm, Julie told of people standing in the narthex before worship talking with their friends. Again there was agreement.
The consultant told them that they need to stop promoting themselves as a friendly church. "Every church views itself as being friendly," he told them. Even some of the coldest churches claim they are friendly. They should practice radical hospitality, making sure every first-time guest to their church is made to feel welcome. Instead of claiming to be such a friendly church they need to promote that guests can make new friends in their church. The church is a place where new people in the community are welcome and make friends. By making guests feel special and welcome, the church will begin to grow again. To be honest these comments were met with suspicion.
While some of the people who attended that meeting might have been skeptical, others were willing to give it a try. Jesus teaches about radical hospitality as he challenges believers, "Whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple -- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."
