by Jason Byassee
Jason Byassee
A friend of mine first visited our church when his family moved here. He was terribly put off. No one spoke to him, he didn’t know where to take his kids, the building was confusing, parking was a headache, and he left vowing not to come back. Only years later, re-invited by friends, did he come back, get involved, and join. Now he helps lead us. He remembers that initial impression.
Our church is, by nature, generous about welcoming new people. This is not a place where you have to have been here forever to have a voice. We are curious who God is bringing our way. As many of you read in Desiring God years ago, “God speaks to the church by whom God sends to the church.” New people aren’t just marks for membership. They are a summons from God about what he wants from us, to be met with delight.
But my friend didn’t feel that way that day. We whiffed. It happens.
Our welcoming committee is committed to it happen as little as possible. Sandra Ammons leads this group, with staff wisdom from Andy Ellis, and muscle and creativity from Summer Hays, Katie Lineback, Bob Kroll, Phyllis Butler and others. Our ushers, headed by Johnny Carson, are also committed to welcoming all.
And so is our whole church. Our new mission language, is this: “Loving our community, and inviting all, to discover life in Christ.” Welcoming is the foundation of who we are. Our new values language includes several that touch on welcoming: “Everybody everywhere matters.” We are all created in the image of God, we are all souls for whom Christ died, we are all folks whom the Holy Spirit longs to clasp to God’s heart. “Get ready to do something” is another value that touches on our essential responsiveness as a church. When we see a need, we mobilize to meet it. What better place to see needs than through peering into someone’s eyes, grasping their hands, and telling them we’re delighted to see them? Our measures include this question: “When have I walked with someone not like me?” I worry for folks who don’t have the church. How do they get into relationships with folks different than them? As we grow closer to Jesus we grow closer to one another. Our measures also ask when we’ve invested in someone toward a life in Christ. How might we launch a new endeavor or two in evangelism around here?
Andy and Sandra and I recently met to imagine her committee’s work for 2014. We realized together how deeply our mission, values, and measures language can help in their work. They suggested we might connect recently joined people to those who visit. If there’s a retired couple visiting at 8:45 we can connect them with someone similar who has recently joined. So too if a widow visits Crossroads, or when college kids turn up to 11. We connect most easily with those like us, why not put those most recently enthusiastic about our church–our recent joiners–in relationship with folks visiting? I love it! Creative people pouring over our vision frame and taking action to fulfill our mission.
And that’s exactly how the new mission, values, measures, and strategy are supposed to work. We can place any issue our church faces within the four-sided frame. And in this case–how we welcome–two values, several marks, and our mission proper all applied. Folks doing that together saw stuff no one could see alone. And hopefully our entire life together with Christ will be enhanced.
The goal here as ever is not to get new members. It’s not to meet budget. It’s to introduce new people to Jesus. To meet Jesus ourselves all over again in who he sends to us. And to take part in his inching his kingdom slightly closer here in the high country.