For most of us
receiving and reading Freshly Bru’d each week, we feel very comfortable in
church. It’s been such a part of our weekly routine and custom that it’s easy
to conclude that everybody else feels as comfortable as we do in the church
environment. But that is not true for those who didn’t grow up in the church
environment. There is an incredible anxiety most of them feel as they walk
through the church doors. The more we become an outward focused church and
introduce people to Jesus, we need to enter into their anxiety about church.
Those who are far from God but are searching for the answer to life feel like a fish out of water. Brian Moss, a pastor of Oak Ridge Church in Salisbury, MD shares some of the questions going through their minds.
1. Am I going to get struck by lightning? This grows out of their feelings that their current lifestyle doesn’t match what God wants for them. Since they have no background to spiritual things they often believe God is probably ticked at them.
2. Is anyone going to acknowledge me? Not in an “all eyes on me” way, but just recognize that their guests/visitors are just like them.
3. Are my kids going to be safe? They are being asked to trust people they don’t know with their children. In a day of growing pedophiles, this is just scary.
4. Is the message going to be boring or confusing? Those with no church background (those are the people we want to reach) believe the Bible is an outdated, irrelevant book.
5. Am I going to be dressed right? We can understand this one because we all have attended an event either overdressed or underdressed.
6. Will I know where to go? Clear signage and ushers/greeters escorting them can be a life saver.
7. Who can I ask a question? Have you noticed the information counters are now called “Just Ask” counters?
8. Are they going to do anything weird? Someone who has no church context feels like they are visiting a foreign country. Not knowing what is going to happen can be terrifying.
9. Am I going to have to have sing or clap? How many environments does the average American go to that they’re asked to sing out loud and clap along with? It’s funny that we like to measure worship by crowd participation, but then we neglect to measure our outreach effectiveness by the lack of crowd participation.
10. Is there any hope? They are hoping that God can fix their broken hearts, homes and lives.
Since we are wanting to reach the unchurched of Lincoln, let’s be aware of their questions and strive to ease their anxiety.
Blessings,
Those who are far from God but are searching for the answer to life feel like a fish out of water. Brian Moss, a pastor of Oak Ridge Church in Salisbury, MD shares some of the questions going through their minds.
1. Am I going to get struck by lightning? This grows out of their feelings that their current lifestyle doesn’t match what God wants for them. Since they have no background to spiritual things they often believe God is probably ticked at them.
2. Is anyone going to acknowledge me? Not in an “all eyes on me” way, but just recognize that their guests/visitors are just like them.
3. Are my kids going to be safe? They are being asked to trust people they don’t know with their children. In a day of growing pedophiles, this is just scary.
4. Is the message going to be boring or confusing? Those with no church background (those are the people we want to reach) believe the Bible is an outdated, irrelevant book.
5. Am I going to be dressed right? We can understand this one because we all have attended an event either overdressed or underdressed.
6. Will I know where to go? Clear signage and ushers/greeters escorting them can be a life saver.
7. Who can I ask a question? Have you noticed the information counters are now called “Just Ask” counters?
8. Are they going to do anything weird? Someone who has no church context feels like they are visiting a foreign country. Not knowing what is going to happen can be terrifying.
9. Am I going to have to have sing or clap? How many environments does the average American go to that they’re asked to sing out loud and clap along with? It’s funny that we like to measure worship by crowd participation, but then we neglect to measure our outreach effectiveness by the lack of crowd participation.
10. Is there any hope? They are hoping that God can fix their broken hearts, homes and lives.
Since we are wanting to reach the unchurched of Lincoln, let’s be aware of their questions and strive to ease their anxiety.
Blessings,
P.S. Ever feel like a phony? A fake? Do you fear what people would think about you if they knew the real you? Authenticity is one of the skills we need to develop if we hope to untangle our relationships with others and experience relational health. Join us this week at 9:15 and 11:00 as we peel off our masks.
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