View From the Outside

Sometimes we need to ask ourselves what our church would look like through someone else's eyes.

A week or so ago I visited a church that I had only attended a couple of times before, and I couldn't help but make some observations. However, before I get into that, I'm going to give some background information. I am a firm believer that friendliness and openness are key components that add to the overall quality of the church experience, and, naturally, the lack of these components can put a somewhat negative spin to that experience. That being said, let's get into what I encountered.

I arrived at church as the first worship service was nearing an end (this church had two worship services). Simone was taking care of something at the time, so I decided to walk around the building a little bit. I decided to take a passive role regarding my interactions, that is, I wasn't openly friendly while at the same time conducting myself so as to appear approachable. The interesting thing was that during this time nobody approached me or even said "Hello" to me. It wasn't until some time later when the worship service was completed and I was seated for Sabbath School that an older gentleman came to me and welcomed me to the church.

This series of events would not have caught my attention had not just a few days earlier I had gone to an auto parts store. I had hardly two steps into the store when one of the employees called out "Welcome to _____!" A phrase that was repeated by that same person whenever someone walked into the store. The contrast between that prompt greeting and the delayed greeting I received at the church was startling.

I don't harbor any negative feelings, but I can't help but wonder if my attitude would be different had I been a true outsider, someone who had never been to that church before, or any church before my visit there. Would I have been treated differently if I wasn't dressed like an insider (shaved, combed with shirt & tie)? The more I think, the more questions come to mind, and I'm sure that some come to your mind as well.

The key conclusion I drew from this experience is that surely God's church can do better than an auto parts store. If someone were to feel unwelcome there it probably wouldn't be a problem if they could find the right part for the right price, but if someone were to feel unwelcome when they walk into a church, well, now, that's a problem.

My point in sharing all this with you is not to place blame, but hopefully to increase our awareness of how we treat the people that walk through our church doors. Because if we want those who are outsiders to our church to become insiders, well maybe we should act more like auto parts store employees.