We can take a lesson from how Jim is willing to reach out! Way to speak that love language, Jim.

What do people look for when they visit our church?  As I discussed earlier, different people are looking for different things.  Just as people have different love languages (the way they express and receive emotional love), each attender will feel loved and welcomed only if they receive it in a way they understand and expect it.

Here is the first half of my top ten list to connect with newcomers at church (and hopefully communicate love, warmth, and acceptance) so that we can reach people where they are and lead them to full devotion to Jesus.  And by the way, this list is especially for the leaders at Team Church, but can include anyone who wants to connect with others.  More to come on this…

1.  Smile and Say, “Hi”
Do this to everyone!  Make it a sort of game to not miss anyone. If anyone thinks you’re weird…tell them it’s your job, and you’re learning to say “Hello.”  …and see number two!

2. Be honest about what you’re doing.
Does it seem like you’re a salesperson going around speaking to everyone??  Let’s be honest…you’re a church member, and they are a visitor.  It’s your responsibility to let them know they are welcomed.  If you don’t , they will not go away thinking, “This is the coolest laid-back church because no one even noticed us.”  So, walk up, say “Hi,” and try not to get so self-conscious… Be honest, you are approaching them to get their name, tell them you’re happy they are here, and you would love to see them again.

3. Listen and ask questions
You’ve got two ears and one mouth, so listen above all else.  People feel loved when they are listened to, and it is a rare thing.  But sometimes you need to probe a little, so engage with some questions.  If questions don’t come easily, then think through the acronym FIRE…ask questions about…

• F–family (Are you here with your family?  What are your kids’ names?)
• I–interests (What do you do for fun?  Did you know there is a Christmas parade?)
• R-religion (What brought you to church today? Don’t you think that message was AWESOME?!
• E–employment.  (Where do you work?)

4. Give Compliments
Everyone loves an ego boost.  Noticing something you like about them is a great way to start a connection.  For instance, if you genuinely notice something, say something like, “Nice shoes.”

5. Repeat their names
This makes it personal and also is a memory aid.  Make it a sort of game to call their name three times when you learn it.  for example, “I’m Steve, and you are?”  “Henry, it’s nice to meet you.”  …”So what brought you here today, Henry?” …”Jim, let me introduce you to Henry, he’s new in town…”

We spent Sunday talking about how to communicate love to those you love.  Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages is always an interesting topic whether it’s a refresher course for you or you’re hearing about it for the first time.  I’d love to hear back from you how it has changed the way you communicate love to your spouse!

As the pastor of a brand new ministry it’s important to me to communicate not only love, but also warmth, and acceptance to those I see on Sundays, especially to those who are first time guests.  It’s most likely true what people say about “first impressions,” and the question is, “What are you communicating to others?”

Just as spouses often miscommunicate their true feelings to one another, I believe those already “in” the church can miscommunicate to those “outside” the church.  If you think about the love language solution for spouses, you may see that there is some similarity when it comes to church.

In a marriage the Five Love Languages would tell you to express love in the way that your spouse understands…even when it’s not your preferred way to express and receive love.  The same could be said for churchgoers…the key to communicating love the best is to view it from their perspective more than our own.

So think about it…if you were brand new to the Team Church ministry, what would communicate love, warmth, and acceptance above all else?

Would it be that someone affirmed you with thanks, and encouraged you to return?  For some, that is everything, and for others, those are just words.
Would it be that someone spent some engaging quality time with you over a donut hole?  For some it’s too close, too soon, but for others, you’ve become the friendliest church in town.
Perhaps you’re looking for the personal touch, and handshakes or hugs may communicate it best.  Or perhaps what would make you feel most invited is noticing the sacrifices made so that church can happen.  If you’re a newcomer, maybe the biggest thing that communicated was that someone offered you a cup of coffee.

Boy, it’s tough to communicate to everyone when everyone receives love so differently!  Yep, it is. But communicating love is the greatest thing you can do.  Just remember to consider expressing your love, warmth, and acceptance with their perspective in mind. I’ll share with you my list of ways to communicate with others on Sunday morning tomorrow.

This Sunday I’m wrapping up the Once Series.  Over the last weeks, I’ve learned about what happened that caused people to experience God as…

• Jehovah Shammah…God who is there for me
  
• Jehovah Shalom… God who is my peace
• Jehovah Nissi…God who is my banner, or my encouragement

and now this Sunday ends with…

• Jehovah Jireh…God who is my provider
  (by the way you can hear Sunday’s message below)

The cool thing about it all is that we’re all experiencing the same God, and yet he can respond to us in many ways.  Of course it’s not that God has a multi-personality disorder or anything like that.  Rather God is everything we need at the exact time we need Him!

I’ve personally experienced God as my discipliner, my comforter, my teacher, my encourager and so on.  He’s made me laugh and cry, He’s mended my brokeness, and broken me too.

I’m looking forward to this Sunday because I want to tell you how God is our provider.  The only time in the Bible that God is called Jehovah Jireh, which means God, our Provider, is when Abraham took his special son up a mountain to sacrifice the young man.

God had promised Abraham that the world would be blessed through this special son.  But then God tested Abraham by telling him that he needed to kill his child.  I know that sounds really rough, but remember that God knew what He was going to do in the end.

Still Abraham had a hard choice to make…trust God to provide even though it didn’t make complete sense to him, or defy God and make it on his own.

Each of us have choices to make in life.  Some even come down to life and death for us.  If we trust and obey God we will experience Him as Jehovah Jireh.

See you Sunday!

I got some great encouragement through an email this week.  A friend at church wrote that he got in line behind someone in the grocery store Sunday, and heard this person talking about Team Church.  The gentleman was saying to the cashier how he had just been to Team Church, and how it encouraged him.  My friend was not having such a great day, but hearing that changed his whole attitude.  He went back home with a new pep in his step.

Hearing that someone is interested in church is really nice…but do you know why it affected my friend so much?  It’s because he’s involved…he’s invested, and he feels a healthy sense of pride that God is blessing what he’s doing.  Hearing that does the same thing to me.  Isn’t it wonderful to see God at work where we get the priveledge to be involved?

Isn’t that cool that Team Church encouraged a newcomer, and he encouraged my friend, and then my friend encouraged me with the whole story!

This week I will be talking about “Jehovah Nissi” which means “God is my banner.”  A banner is like a flag that rallies the troops. This story from my friend is kind of like God rallying us with some Good News.  It’s easy to discouraged, but I want you to sense the encouragement that Jehovah Nissi wants to give you.

Can you imagine with me that God is getting excited about what he wants to do this Sunday in churches all over our area?  Can you see Him wanting to encourage the speakers, leaders, the people who set-up, and the greeters and so on?  He wants these people who are responsible to get pumped because God has someone coming that needs encouragement too!

If you’re part of the Team, I hope you get that encouragement that you need, when you need it, because it helps us to keep going.  God wants to fill you up so you can fill others!  I hope you’re as excited as God…Jehovah Nissi.

See you this Sunday for some strong encouragement!