Today for our devotional I wanted to build on this idea. Too often as a church we have the idea that we are a welcoming church, and indeed we may be; but simply offering welcome to others is not the idea. Christ does not come breaking all barriers on heaven and earth simply to be available for us to approach. Yes, Christ is approachable, because he chose to be; but he goes another step further to invite us to approach him and enter into relationship. Too many churches feel that their goal is to be a welcoming presence, but that people will wander into worship all on their own, uninvited. Statistics show that most people will not enter a church without receiving a direct invitation from someone they know and trust, and only then if they are assured that this person will be present. If this is the only thing stopping people from coming to church and entering into relationship with God, then what is stopping us?!
First, we must throw away our old assumption that people are likely to wander into our churches. This is simply not the way our world works in 2015. Some people will, but they are not the majority. They may, however, be the majority of new members in your church, and that is because your church is not actively inviting anyone into its doors! So often people will cite the evidence that all of their new members wandered in on their own, but this is a false example. Churches will spike in attendance and participation if only their members will invite others to come.
Second, we cannot assume that most people have a church. Statistically in the US, fewer than half of all Americans will go to church even once this year. Are the stats better in the Southeast, here in the Bible belt? Surprisingly, no!!!!!!! Let's use Bell Springs UMC's community as an example. In a five-mile radius, there are seven churches with a total attendance weekly of about 300. And there are 4,500 people living in that radius!!!! Did you know that 4,500 people live within five miles of our church in Noah, TN, which appears to be as rural and remote as one can get?! Just because we have beautiful, quiet scenery does not mean we are a sparsely populated community. And in our community, people are not going to church. Yes, we have statistics to demonstrate this as well.
Third, we must not assume that everyone who wants to go to church already does so. This is another misconception as well. People don't walk into churches anymore, but that doesn't mean they don't want to be invited. Statistics again show that 7 out of 10 people have never been personally invited to church by someone they know and trust, and if they were, a surprisingly large percentage of them would likely attend at least once. A lot of people think that America is becoming increasingly unreligious, and while that is true, it doesn't mean they want to be. They simply want to be wanted, to be invited, to be part of a group that will treat them as a family. More than 90 percent of Americans believe in God, and most of these unchurched people want to learn more about that God, but may be confused about that God. Remember that while there are many churches of all backgrounds and denominations, many of them will preach a Gospel of a judging, damning God, which is simply not the case, and certainly not the United Methodist witness.
Fourth, we must overcome our fear that inviting people to church is "pushy" or manipulative. Certainly, you could be pushy or manipulative--but that's not our goal. We don't want anyone to participate in the life of the church against their will, because our God does not overcome our free will to choose to love him. If that were the case, we would be robots, unable to make our own choices in life. Now, attempting to shame or force people to attend church is definitely the wrong way to go. But this is a far cry from inviting them in love. You won't ruin your relationships with your friends, family, co-workers or neighbors; rather, they will most likely be receptive and appreciate your offer. Those who are not interested will politely decline your offer, and those interested may as for more information.
Fifth, we must be prepared to invite people to church. Your church's website should be committed to your memory, as statistics show that more than 8 out of 10 people visit a church's website before visiting the first time, even and especially after being invited. If you can't remember the web address, then carry it with you at all times. It also helps to know when worship begins, what ministries and outreach programs your church offers, and how we relate to the community. At Bell Springs our House of Ruth outreach and Backpack program with North Coffee Elementary are two great ways to get others involved and excited about being a part of our family. You don't need to know everything about these ministries; but giving people a feel for what we do as Christians is very important because they want to understand who we are and what our priorities are.
Finally, be willing and available to help incorporate new people into the life of the church. Especially for those whom you've invited, help them out by introducing them to others in our church so that they feel that they know more people than just you. It's helpful to introduce people who are similar in age, life stage or profession, so that they have something to talk about. But don't stop there; invite new congregants to lunch or dinner along with another family from the church. This one hour of sharing a meal will help solidify their place in our church. They will feel like they are a part of our shared family, and will begin to feel ownership of the church and its ministries. Finally, help advise your pastor of how the church can involve the new individual or family into the life of the church through its mission and discipleship growth. You know these new congregants best; so your advice can prove invaluable, and will be cordially welcomed by your pastor, I can promise you!
If you would like some help inviting others to church at Bell Springs UMC, visit the Information Station table in the Fellowship Hall. There we have recently printed flyers that give general information on our church; our House of Ruth and backpack ministries; and of course the pastor's business card, which has all of the church's pertinent information, like the website and physical address. If you feel that you could use another resource which is not yet available, let me know and I will produce it for you!
Being a welcoming church is critical; but being an invitational church is the mission of God. Let us never hesitate to invite others to join us at the table where Christ offers himself in the fullness of time for the restoration and redemption of the world.
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