Saturday 31 May 2014

What Not To Do To First Timers In A Christian Church

By Lila Bryant


Everyone has the freedom to choose their own path when it comes to interpreting faith. It may even involve trials and errors, meeting new people and finally making a choice. As a Christian Church in Chester Ca congregation, you can expect first timers to show up regularly. Be careful how you act around them, as there are common mistakes that discourage them from coming back.

Do not drive away anyone who drops by only to come to a full service. Always find a way to offer a reasonable alternative so they know that everyone else gets equal treatment. When visitors are treated well and given assurance, they will come back to better experience what they have missed out on all along.

Some people just cannot help but backbite one of their own. Still, it is unacceptable to badmouth someone from the congregation just because of your own prejudices. Never take any issue out to the public. Instead, fix it among yourselves and be man enough to talk reasonably and with resolve.

Meanwhile, it is somewhat rude to ask someone why he or she is present during a service or a church related gathering. People will take it as an insult, that no one else has the right to be part of it other than you. There is no selection as far as welcoming new members is concerned. Sometimes the biases rule over without basis, thus the conflict.

As for memberships, it is reasonable for people to experience service first. Only by having firsthand knowledge can they decide to push through on their own. So when members say that one cannot serve because of the lack of endorsement, this should be questioned. By giving people the chance, you also give them encouragement.

Some first timers are afraid to come forward because they might be grilled with questions that they do not feel like answering right there and then. So, respect private space and focus on welcoming newbies into the congregation. Maintain friendly ties with people and appreciate their presence. This will help them feel more at ease with the presence of everyone.

If someone expresses his or her desire to join small group gatherings, immediately find a way to accommodate such request. You cannot just say that the next available opening is in a month or two. The point of forming these groups is to create clusters wherein people can join in and have spiritual support regardless of member count and other minute details.

Most importantly, never impose your beliefs. If you tell visitors to leave if they do not agree with the preaching, then you are too weak to handle people. Let them break their own shells and grow into butterflies. Let the experience teach them to engage fully so they can decide with certainty and with trust on their own judgments.

Leaders have to keep their members in check because it says a lot about the whole community. Despite the difficulties with managing people, everyone should at least meet halfway and decide to take initiative when the going gets tough. Most importantly, this oneness should promote love for others because the congregation will be nothing without its people.




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