Yesterday I headed off about 5.30pm to hit the crap out of 70 golf balls at the Penninsula Golf Course.
I was looking for a parking spot and noticed that there was about 15….yes 15 great spots right near the course. Only problem was…they were marked STAFF….in fact they were even closer to the course than the disabled bays. Unbelievable.
How did this make me feel? Well it was obvious who was the most important person there, not the customers…the staff.
What do we do at church which makes the visitor feel they are the most important person? What do we do as a church which ensures that those who are not yet part of the church community know…that we care about them? That we are placing their needs in front of our own?
Just one small thing I do as the pastor.
I don’t rush out of the building when my ‘stage work’ is done
I don’t hide away in a ‘prayer room’ after the service.
I don’t go straight to my friends first and laugh with them.
I go to the exit….quickly…before the visitors rush off.
I make sure that I shake their hands, and introduce myself.
I make sure that nearly everyone who came to church that morning sees me, hopefully says hello, and if they have a need, I get to hear about it.
Its not about the Pastor being more important than anyone else, but they do need to lead well….and lead through being available to serve.
The most important people to me on a Sunday morning are those I have never seen at church before, and those who I have not seen very much. I cant apologise for that. I am here to see the church grow.
Those who come to church every week, I also want to touch base with them, and care for them if needed, but my priority is those who are not yet part of our church community, and I want them to know it.
