What Do Friendly Churches Do? (Bulletin Article for September 17)

[NOTE: This article is one that I found from a few years ago in the Memorial Parkway Messenger. It is adapted somewhat. The first and last paragraphs are mine, the points were written by John Denney from Huntsville.]

With our “Friends and Family” Day less than one month away, I thought the following points from an article by John Denney of Huntsville would be helpful to us. The concluding paragraph was added by me.

It’s been said, “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care” and I believe that is so true. A congregation may “think” they are friendly, but how would an outsider describe it? Would their conclusions be the same? Hopefully, their actions agree with their words. What do friendly churches do?

1. Expect Visitors. Hundreds of neighbors are invited each year to our services, to special days like Friends Day and Gospel Meetings. Many of these are face-to-face invitations, others are by mail and newspapers. Many of our members invite on a regular basis. Think how foolish it would be for us to come any Sunday without the thought that someone will be visiting. Let us expect them, because they will be here.

2. Come Early and Stay Late. If everyone arrived at two minutes ‘til and left immediately following the “amen,” there would be no one to visit with visitors. Plan to arrive a few minutes early to search out visitors.

3. Visitors First. Do not wait until you have visited with everyone else before you search for visitors. They will probably be gone. Give the first few minutes before and after worship and class to find and welcome visitors.

4. Offer Them Four Invitations. Invite them to your class or help them find a class. Invite them to sit with you during worship. Invite them to lunch with you. And invite them to the next service. Just because they are here does not mean the invitations stop!

5. This Means YOU. No one else can obey the royal law for you. We do not all have the same abilities or personalities. But all of us can offer a kind word. Think how you would want to be treated as a visitor, and “go and do likewise.”

If we will follow these suggestions, visitors will be more apt to return to our services. We sometimes say that, if several people visit with someone, it might “scare him off.” Usually, that is just an excuse though. Most people want to be visited. Let’s make them feel welcome.