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Members will always take
the less desirable seats near the front of the church so that visitors and shy
newcomers have the choice seats near the back.
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Members will move to the
center of each pew so that others will not have to bruise their shins crawling
over them.
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Members will park down
that street from the church (near where the pastor parks) so that visitors can
have the best parking spaces.
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Members will not turn up
chairs or save seats at church dinners (nor rush to be first in line) but will
look for strangers with whom to sit who might become new friends.
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Members will take turns
dressing casually for church so that newcomers will know any kind of dress is
appropriate.
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Members will always
smile or wink (and never frown) at moms and dads with crying or disruptive
babies in worship, for they not only know to such belong the kingdom of God,
but also because they are so glad to have youngsters in their church.
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Long-time members will
introduce themselves to newcomers until newcomers call them by name.
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Women and youth members,
as well as men, will collect the offering to show visitors that the gifts of
all are welcome.
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Members will never speak
ill of their pastor or church at the beauty parlor, coffee shop, or ballpark.
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Before and after church,
members will interrupt conversations with their old friends in order to go to
know newcomers.
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Members will not put a
badge or nametag on a visitor unless members also wear one.
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Members will greet
visitors at least as well as they are greeted at
Wal-Mart.
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Members should expect to
pay a fee for using the church building for things like weddings and parties.
Non-members, as guests and prospective members, pay no fees.
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When no rule exists to
cover other situations, members will remember that in the Body of Christ,
members give up their rights, prerogatives, and entitlements to be servants
who welcome others into a relationship with Jesus, who “though he was in the
form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave”.
