Friendly Churches? What do they do?

by David Shannon

"For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also come in a poor man in dirty clothes, and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, �You sit here in a good place,' and you say to the poor man, �You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool," have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives? You have dishonored the poor man. If, however you are fulfilling the royal law, according to the Scripture, �You shall love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors." James 2:2-9

A Practical Application

The setting of the above story takes place in a worship service. The problem was not showing honor to a man that was wealthy. The Lord always favors kindness. It is commanded in I Corinthians 13:4 "Love is kind." The problem was when a poor visitor was treated with dishonor (with little worth) or rudeness. What was so rude about their conduct? No one stood and offered him their seat, but instead told him to stand or sit by their feet! What a disgrace for a visitor to come into the assembly of the family of God and no one offer them a seat! Have you ever seen it? Friends, read the story again. This is not just a suggestion. God makes it an issue of the Law of the Kingdom�love thy neighbor as thyself! In other words, be kind to visitors by offering them your seat. Speak to them. Treat them as you would want to be treated.

What Do Friendly Churches Do?

1. Expect Visitors: Hundreds of neighbors have been invited face to face during our door knocking weekends this year. We invite our community six times a year through the mail out of "House to House." We occasionally run ads in the newspapers. Many of our members invite others on a regular basis. Think how foolish it would be for us to come Sunday without the thought in mind that someone will be visiting. Let's expect them, because they will be here. For example, on Sept. 3 there were 58 visitors, on the 10th there were 47 and on the 17th there were 47. This is only the number that signed cards. Many visitors don't fill out cards. God blesses us abundantly with visitors. Do you expect them?

2. Come Early and Stay Late: If everyone arrived at 2 till 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. It is part of the "Royal Law."

3. Visitors First! Don't wait until you have visited with everyone else before you search for visitors. They will probably be gone. Give the first few minutes before or after class or worship 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 doesn't 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 most of us can offer a kind word or a seat to a visitor!

• Who will be baptized Next at MJ? -Apr 23, 2006
• Meeting the Needs of the Unchurched -Sep 19, 1999