The internet tells me there are between 350,000 and 400,000 churches in the United States. They come in every shape, size, and flavor. Like snowflakes, no two are the same.
But nearly every single one of those 350,000+ churches would consider themselves to be a welcoming church.
The reality of that claim is probably a discussion for another day. But in Michael Harvey's book Creating a Culture of Invitation in Your Church he suggests that it is impossible to be a welcoming church ...if you are not an inviting church!
Now that is a whole other story. How many churches are truly inviting churches?
Harvey, who is a believer because someone invited him to church, describes some of the reasons we don't invite the people around us to church.
>> We have previously been rejected.
>> We don't have connections outside of our church relationships.
>> We assume other people will do it instead of us.
>> We never have experienced being invited to church. (Because we grew up in church and never left.)
>> We don't want to be too bold.
>> We are insecure about our ability to answer every spiritual question that might come up. (Like we are all supposed to be CS Lewis.)
So what encouragement does the book give in the face of these fears?
1. You can't know someone's interest till you ask.
2. You never know where God has already been at work.
3. Your inviting could very well be part of God's working in their lives this week!
We are having church this Sunday.
Is there someone you could invite this week?
Your pastor
Tim
