Last Sunday with Fenway Church, we looked at 3 priorities to embrace for the new year. You can listen to that message here. There is one more vital priority that I want us to embrace each Sunday and in our lives - the welcome.
The Welcome - Luke 10:20-24
The son was a long way off, wearing tattered, smelly clothes and ashamed of his past. He was uncertain of what kind of reception he would receive in his condition and with his history. The reception he received was not what he expected.
In this story, Jesus reveals the power of a welcome. The father in the story never needs to say the son is forgiven or accepted - the welcome communicates that; and with this welcome, Jesus portrays what every person should experience when they come "home" to His family (the church).
When people come to church they often hear they are forgiven and accepted, but they don't always experience what that feels like. They are left wondering if what the preacher says is actually true. This should never be experienced in God's church.
How we welcome people into our church gatherings signals to them who God is, what his family is like, and whether they belong in that family. The reception they receive when they walk into church should surprise them as much as it surprised the prodigal son.
What should that welcome look like? Here are some practical steps you can take based on Jesus' story.
1) Look for guests or people who are standing or sitting alone (while he was a long way off the father saw him).
2) Go introduce yourself to those people with warmth and love (he felt compassion and ran and embraced him).
3) Give them your best (bring the best robe). We often want to reserve our time and energy for our friends or the actual worship service. Instead, let's give our energy, time, and best to those who are new or feel isolated in our midst in the following ways:
5) Celebrate their lives (let us celebrate). People's lives are worth celebrating no matter how different they may appear from our own. Let's get to know their interests and stories and find ways to celebrate their decision to visit our church and the life God has given them.
The Welcome - Luke 10:20-24
And he (the prodigal son) arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. And... said to his servants, "Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate."
The son was a long way off, wearing tattered, smelly clothes and ashamed of his past. He was uncertain of what kind of reception he would receive in his condition and with his history. The reception he received was not what he expected.
In this story, Jesus reveals the power of a welcome. The father in the story never needs to say the son is forgiven or accepted - the welcome communicates that; and with this welcome, Jesus portrays what every person should experience when they come "home" to His family (the church).
When people come to church they often hear they are forgiven and accepted, but they don't always experience what that feels like. They are left wondering if what the preacher says is actually true. This should never be experienced in God's church.
How we welcome people into our church gatherings signals to them who God is, what his family is like, and whether they belong in that family. The reception they receive when they walk into church should surprise them as much as it surprised the prodigal son.
What should that welcome look like? Here are some practical steps you can take based on Jesus' story.
1) Look for guests or people who are standing or sitting alone (while he was a long way off the father saw him).
2) Go introduce yourself to those people with warmth and love (he felt compassion and ran and embraced him).
3) Give them your best (bring the best robe). We often want to reserve our time and energy for our friends or the actual worship service. Instead, let's give our energy, time, and best to those who are new or feel isolated in our midst in the following ways:
- Listen to them.
- Offer to sit next to them.
- Introduce them to someone else.
- Make sure they feel connected and welcomed.
5) Celebrate their lives (let us celebrate). People's lives are worth celebrating no matter how different they may appear from our own. Let's get to know their interests and stories and find ways to celebrate their decision to visit our church and the life God has given them.
To my awesome Fenway Church family, let's make "the welcome" a top priority this year. As we do, many more will experience the tangible reality of God's grace, forgiveness, and love.
With you on the journey,
David W.
With you on the journey,
David W.
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