Tuesday, October 15, 2013

An Invitation To Stay

“When an alien resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress the alien. The alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you; you shall love the alien as yourself, for you were aliens in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. (Lev. 19:33-34)

To offer hospitality to a stranger is to welcome something new, unfamiliar, and unknown into our life-world… Strangers have stories to tell which we have never heard before, stories which can redirect our seeing and stimulate our imaginations. The stories invite us to view the world from a novel perspective. - Thomas Ogletree, Hospitality to the Stranger

  I am always attempting to learn new things which would benefit the church and help us to reach out to our community and share the abundant grace of God with our neighbors. When I am on vacation, Karen and I will attend worship at churches where we have never been before, small churches, larger churches, non-denominational churches, etc. I have said before, I have stolen some of my best ideas during these visits by seeing what others are doing.

Everyone is Invited... Few are asked to Stay (click to enlarge)  What I found amazing were the variety of welcomes we received at each church. Some are friendly, in some no one greeted us, some simply ignored us, some are curious as if no new people had attended worship in years, and others guessed I was a pastor on vacation. When I am out and about I like to take photos and a few months ago I took the photo I have included in today's post. It is about a Social Club and their motto is “Everyone is Invited.... Few are asked to stay.” Sadly, I have discovered this could also be the motto of many of the churches Karen and I have visited over the years.

  I stated in my sermon series on evangelism, we are called to extend an invitation to others to “come and see” what is happening here. Of course, an invitation would seem hollow and empty if the people are not welcomed and shown hospitality once they arrive at our door. We are called upon to extend hospitality along with invitations. Each new visitor who walks through our doors is a gift from God and we are called to welcome them with graciousness for this gift. In the Bible, offering hospitality is not just a nice idea, it is a moral imperative. God's people remember that they were once strangers and refugees who were taken in by God, You shall also love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” (Deuteronomy 10:19)

  Many congregations would declare themselves to be friendly, open, warm, and interested in growth. They would say with conviction, “We are a friendly, caring group of people who would welcome anyone into our fellowship and extend the best of hospitality.” As church members we often find ourselves haunted by our own words, because we discover that the strangers in our midst who come through our doors do not always have a warm experience of hospitality during their visit.

  Our understanding of what is “religiously correct” causes us to say everyone is welcome, but there are attitudes and feelings deep within us that sometimes undermine our good intentions. The experience of many “outsiders” entering the church family has been that of not feeling welcome or accepted. Members may believe they are cordial to visitors, but that doesn’t mean every visitor feels they are the recipient of the kind of hospitality that forms the foundation for a strong and enduring relationship.

  Several years ago, my wife and I were on vacation visiting some historical sites in southern Virginia and we drove into a town, where we had never been before. The town had the typical sign at the town limits telling you what town you were entering and offering a greeting of welcome to new visitors.  Welcome to our town with its 3,200 friendly, smiling citizens and 8 old grumps. In a way they were trying to let you know that they were friendly, but also honest that you might meet one of their less than friendly residents.

  Greeters and ushers are the front-line of hospitality for the congregation. They are the persons most likely to have the initial encounters with visitors. They play a major role in creating the atmosphere experienced by all the members of the church during the first 60 seconds, which are critical. These are people who need the gift of hospitality.

  Consider the tremendous isolation that many people feel today. People have an almost desperate need for community, and the church as the body of Christ can offer a level of belonging that is not found anywhere else. Growing churches have learned how to regulate the congregational thermostat, and they have set it on warmth and love.

  As new people come into our midst, it is important to remember that each has a gift to offer, a contribution that will make the total body more complete. We become wiser, stronger, more versatile with each new person. We often only view the person as they present themselves today, but God sees what they can become once they find the place where they belong within the body of Christ. God is looking after our long-term interests, God knows what we will need in the future and we must trust in want God supplies and do our part in making disciples.

  Working to extend invitations to our neighbors and friends would be a futile exercise, if in the end they don't believe anyone wants them to stay. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.” (Heb. 13:2)

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