Bishop Michael Rinehart

I wish the problem was this simple. If the church wants to survive it better make major changes. Not in liturgies but in the way they come across to visitors. By having our pastors available much of the office hours. By being awake to realities of need.
Over the past 50 years I have visited many (hundreds) churches. When I walk in the door for visits, NO ONE greets me. It is more like looking at me and saying with their eyes “who are you” and “what are you doing here.” Or maybe they ignore me totally.
Not untill after they find out who I am and what I am there to do with and for them will they be interested.
Churches need to understand why people come and visit. What their purpose is. If they are shopping for a new church home, do they feel at home?
If they simply are looking to find a place to belong how do we make them feel welcome.
When most visitors walk in the door they seek GOD If they find a cold shoulder they know there is no God there.
The mission field is right under our noses and we miss out BIG time.
Pieter

Some years ago I had opportunity to bring a dearest friend suffering with Alzheimer’s disease, to worship at the church her husband had served for years. She remembered the liturgy by heart, which made me grateful for “traditional” services. But at the end a regional representative from an auxiliary church group was welcomed, who greeted the congregation by stating he’d visited the church 25 years ago, and that it hadn’t changed at all! My friend burst out loudly in unfiltered response: “Well, it SHOULD HAVE!!” I never was sure whether she was tracking completely or not, but I’ll never forget the way it echoed in the live space, and the mixture of shock and withheld laughter in the few seconds of silence following her outburst!