What We Look Like from the Outside

We had several guests in worship on Sunday! Isn’t that cool! Let me tell you, nothing lifts my spirits as a pastor more than having guests in worship! It just gives me such hope! But can I confess something to you? For some reason having guests in worship always catches me by surprise! And it really shouldn’t! On average, Bear Creek has almost 100 first-time guests a year! And before you mentally try to remove all the family and friends who are visiting from out of town...stop right there...we’ve already done that! On average Bear Creek UMC has 100 first-time guests every year who are seeking a new church home!

All these guests beg one question for me: Why? What is it, exactly, that they are seeking when they come to Bear Creek UMC for the first time? Well, we don’t always get this information right away, but I have recently chatted with a couple of first-time guests and here’s what they shared. The first gal I chatted with was a mother who had come to worship because her kids came to Vacation Bible School, and they wanted to come to our Blessing of the Animals service. This mother was quick to share (rather aggressive in sharing this actually) that she was not a regular church goer and had pretty much decided years ago that she would never step into a church ever again. Churches, at least the ones she had experienced, were conservative, gay-bashing, and full of judgmental hypocrisy. And she had no need for that in her life. Normally, she wouldn’t even consider stepping foot in a church of any kind! In fact, she kind of joked that she came to church this morning kicking and screaming. But her kids insisted. She then shared that she was surprised to see what Bear Creek stood for and shared that she felt surprisingly comfortable here. On her way out she smiled and thanked me for what our church stood for.

Another guest I interviewed was a woman who in her 70’s who timidly sat alone in our worship setting until one of our members invited her to sit next to her. (Wasn’t that a kind gesture...thank you Joan Pierce...you are the best!)   After worship she shared that she had started looking for a church a couple of months ago. She shared that it all happened one morning when she woke up and turned on the news and realized how anxious she was about where the world was going. “There is so much uncertainty and ‘fear’ in the world today. And then it came to me that in order to get through these times I needed a community to belong to that cared about who I was and what I was going through. I just can’t handle these times alone! So, I decided to start looking for a church. To be honest, it’s not an easy thing going to church by yourself. All these people you don’t know. But I’m getting better at it. I’ve been at it for about 2 months now and to be honest with you Bear Creek is the most welcoming church I’ve been to! I can tell you this, I’ll be back.”

Both of these conversations have made me think about two things. First, how do we get the message about who we are out to the world? Statistics tell us that the new “front door” of the church is our website and our social media presence. Thanks to our wonderful church staff and especially our office manager, Mona Cheeks, we have an excellent website. Another key factor is first impressions. Statistics show that first time guests make a determination about whether they will be coming back to our church in the first 10-15 minutes. As soon as they pull into our parking lot, they are making a determination about our church! A smile, an invitation to sit next to me, an acknowledgement that we matter...makes a difference.

The second thing that comes to my mind is a challenge: how do we do a better job at being that caring community? We say it and I think we mean it when we say, “we care,” but can we be better at truly living that out?

Something to ponder, the next time you come to church. People aren’t just coming to hear good music and hear a good message. They are coming to join a community; they are coming to meet you. In essence they are asking the question: “Is the Christ in me welcomed by the Christ in you?” 

Your friend and pastor, gearing up for a great homecoming Sunday on September 14th, Brook