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As a former missionary, I’ve preached a lot of sermons on the Great Commission. Jesus famously called His disciples to, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:18). Those words have inspired Christians to take the good news of the gospel around the world. As urgently as I feel the need to share the good news with people at the ends of the earth, I fear that many Christians don’t even share their faith within the walls of their own church. Let me explain.
I remember visiting a church on my vacation and feeling cold. It was a warm summer day, but it felt cold to cross a parking lot and make my way to the church without any of the many people I passed greeting me or even pausing to make eye contact and smile. We made our way to a seat near the back and sat alone in the row. I thought no one would speak to us at all when a young man came toward with me. I was looking forward to a conversation at last. That’s when he asked whether we would move “because this is where [his] family usually likes to sit.”
This wasn’t a great experience for me, but all I could think of was how tragic this would have been if it was someone on their first visit to church, desperate to hear from God. It reminded me of the fact that we’re often oblivious to the spiritual needs and backgrounds of the people who come to worship. We need to remember that eternity could be at stake for the visitor sitting next to us. If we’re going to be faithful to the Great Commission, sharing our faith has to start in the pew. Let me give some examples of how to do that so that once we’re meeting in person again, we’re drawing people near not pushing them away.
1. Come early and notice people you don’t know.
Have you ever arrived early for a party and been the only one there? You want to run and turn the other way, right? We can often make newcomers feel that way at church. Visitors are often the earliest people to arrive (and sometimes the latest). Why not make a habit of coming fifteen minutes earlier for the express purpose of welcoming and getting to know others?
2. Greet people who are new and make them feel welcome.
Simply greeting people and introducing yourself can make a huge difference in whether a person will feel welcome or not. Deliberately look for those who are new and make them feel welcome.
3. Offer help and make introductions.
Maybe you’re not good with small talk. Even if that’s the case, you can at least offer help and make introductions for a visitor. Ask if there’s anything you can do to help. It can be confusing to find the nursery, washrooms, or coat racks at first. Introduce visitors to the people around you. Introduce them to ministry leaders. Introduce them to your family. Until you’ve been introduced to other people you can feel like a stranger to them.
4. Express a one-line word of testimony.
I’ve personally been encouraged by many I’ve heard people give a one-line word of testimony. “I just became a Christian a year ago, but it’s made all the difference.” “When I first started attending this church, it made a big impact on my teens.” It could be something you learned from that morning’s sermon or from your own Bible reading that week. If the person wants to hear more, they can ask, but a one-line word of testimony can make a big impression on someone.
5. Make an invitation.
There are lots of invitations we can make to newcomers. Invite them to sit with you. Invite them to have coffee with you during the connection time. Invite them to fill out a visitor’s card. Invite them to your life group. We don’t need to bombard people, but an inviting church communicates to people that we want them to belong.
6. Stay afterward and notice people you don’t know
While the fifteen minutes before the service starts can feel like an eternity for a first-time visitor, the same is true for the fifteen minutes following the service. And this is when Christians are often guilty of just seeking out people they know and rushing past those they don’t. Be deliberate about looking out for new people when the service ends. Make that your time for noticing people, greeting them, making introductions, and offering invitations.
Some of the most open people in the neighbourhood show up in church as visitors each Sunday. In their mind, they’re thinking, ‘Maybe I’ll give church a try.’ They want to hear from God and yet it’s often the reception they get from the people of God which will determine whether they hear Him or not. Their eternity’s at stake in how we share our faith in the pew, so let’s ask God to help us make a difference!
In awe of Him,
Paul
