PASTOR D'S PEN:
Bible Study Recap: Love in Action | Safe Church/Clean Church
Jesus was clear: love God with all your heart, soul, and mind — and love your neighbor as yourself. But have we ever stopped to ask who our "neighbor" is on a Sunday morning? Often, it's the stranger sitting in the back pew, unsure of where to go or who to talk to. Genuine love for God cannot stay locked inside our hearts — it has to walk down the aisle and greet the person we've never met. A church that claims to love God while ignoring its guests has more than an organizational problem; it has a theological one.
Hospitality is not a personality trait reserved for the outgoing among us. It is obedience. It means breaking away from our comfortable circles of familiar faces before and after worship and seeking out someone new instead. It means speaking first, because the burden of breaking the ice belongs to the member, not the visitor. A word costs us nothing; withholding it may cost someone everything. It means offering real, specific help — not "let me know if you need anything," but "may I walk you to the correct area?"
Welcome is more than a warm word — it's a safe and clean house of worship. A cluttered foyer, faded paint, or a children's ministry without proper background checks and safeguards can undo everything our greeting promised. Protecting our children isn't just a matter of guest-friendliness; it's non-negotiable. The families walking through our doors are watching closely, and a church that cannot show it protects its children will not keep them. Protecting our children and caring for our facility are not separate from the gospel — they are the gospel, made visible. May we see our church, this week, through the eyes of someone walking in for the very first time.
COME TO BIBLE STUDY! You are invited and encouraged to join us Tuesdays at 6:30 pm or Thursdays at 1:00 pm to be a part of the conversation and study towards us becoming a more welcoming church. The more we know and study – the more we grow in the Word and Godly wisdom.
