Posted on every Latter-day Saint chapel there is a sign.
Not only does this sign show the name of our church but it also includes this simple phrase:
VISITORS WELCOME
Of course, nobody would argue with this statement.
We all hope any interested party would feel welcome enough to worship with us regardless of their background.
However, do we perpetuate a VISITORS WELCOME message when they walk through the door?
If you knew that 30 people, with little to no familiarity with our church, were going to attend your sacrament meeting service this Sunday, how welcoming would your ward actually be?
Maybe you’d arrange for a group of greeters?
Maybe the conducting bishopric member would include additional direction as to what was going to happen during sacrament meeting and afterward?
Maybe individuals would be assigned to escort visitors to second hour classes so that nobody got lost?
I learned another important principle that helps perpetuate a VISITORS WELCOME environment from Andy Stanley, an evangelical pastor whom I enjoy listening to.
Whenever Stanley preaches, he does a remarkable job assuming that not everyone in the room is a believing Christian.
Here is a recent sermon he gave where, from the very beginning, he recognizes the non-believers in the room.
He touches base with them throughout his sermon.
Wow, I was impressed with how he truly welcomes visitors.
Here’s the thing…
You probably won’t have 30 non-Latter-day Saints walk into your church on Sunday, but maybe we should at least act as if they were.
Doing so would shift church culture so members could feel comfortable inviting 30 people to sacrament meeting knowing that they would be received well.
Also, when formulating worship content, assuming that there are diverse believers in the room would help hold on to those who appear to be orthodox but are silently drifting away from belief.
How would you suggest we follow the guidance of the sign out front so not only visitors but anyone that enters feels welcome?
Sincerely,
Kurt Francom
Executive Director
Leading Saints
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