When it comes to our Church premises, we don't get a second chance to make a first impression. That fact makes me wonder how carefully we think about the wording on our Church notice board? In some ways, at least, these boards may be the first impression we make with those who pass by our premises.
I recall some years ago that a Church where I was the newly appointed Pastor renewed the notice board and listed me as "Pastor Mike Robinson" - not "Reverend Michael G. Robinson". Soon after that change, a young couple who had been Christians for a short time and were looking for a Church family to join began attending our Church. After some weeks I asked them why they chose us and they told me that somehow the Pastor being referred to as "Mike" sounded relaxed and inviting!
However, there is one claim that is almost universally present on Church notice boards that I wonder about. It's just one line. I'm not sure how many Churches really mean what they say. I think maybe this line is used because it is expected, deemed to be appropriate........and it doesn't take up much room!! In fact, I have taken particular notice of local Churches in recent times and, sure enough, there it is......
ALL WELCOME
Really? Do you mean that statement? "ALL"? It's such an all-inclusive claim, isn't it? If I take the statement at face value, I assume that means no one will be excluded. We will welcome homosexuals? Addicts? Divorcees? How serious are we about such a claim?
I wonder if our signs might be more honest if they said the following?
"MOST ARE WELCOME" "THOSE WHO TITHE ARE WELCOME"
"ALMOST ALL ARE WELCOME" "DRUG ADDICTS ARE NOT WELCOME"
"A SELECT FEW ARE WELCOME" "LABOUR SUPPORTERS ARE NOT WELCOME"
This line of thought gets me thinking about Jesus. It seems to me that He must have had a sign of some kind around His neck which said, "ALL WELCOME" because all kinds of people were drawn to Him.
Now the tax collectors and "sinners" were all gathering around to hear him. But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them." (Luke 15:1-2 NIV)
What was meant as a criticism or an indictment by His opponents turned out to be a beautiful tribute to Jesus' life and ministry. The Pharisees and teachers of the law would never allow an "All Welcome" sign at the entrance to their meeting place. They took great pride in discriminating against the "sinners" and putting as much relational distance between themselves and these outsiders. Their sign read, "KEEP OUT!" Jesus life read "ALL WELCOME"
How honest is your Church notice board in this regard? If it says that all are welcome, does everything else about your Church back the claim that people - all kinds of people - are welcome? If people passing by take seriously the assurance that they are welcome, would they find that statement true if they took the risk (for that's what it is for them) and stepped into the building one Sunday morning?
It takes much more than a sign at the Church door assuring people of a warm welcome for them to feel welcome. How often have you and I visited other Churches only to feel that we are invisible? But that opens a whole other subject.
