The airline safety briefing card…
Doesn’t mean much to a frequent flier.
But to a first time flier…it’s gold.
Church, what can we learn from this?
Let me share a recent situation I witnessed that illustrated this principle for me.
I’ve learned my way around an airport over the years of traveling in business, government amd now ministry. So much so that I don’t listen to the directions very well. It gets me in trouble sometimes. i amost missed a flight recenlty because I didn’t hear a gate change. But, mostly, I pretty much know what they’re gonna say…or think I do.
Flight delay, right? I saw if coming.
Safety talk? I could recite it.
I’m like a steward runner up. If ever they can’t perform their duties I’m in.
“Ladies and gentleman, please take a moment to familiarize yourself with the safety features of this Boeing Dc9.There’s a safety card in the seat in front of you…”
“Federal regulations require…blah, blah, blah, right?”
If you’ve traveled much…You know the drill.
But recently I was reminded why they do that every time. The same way. Always.
On our plane was one who had never flown before. Ever. He was in his sixties I would guess, but this was his first flight.
And he paid attention to everything. Everything. I watched him read the card. He looked around to “familiarize yourself with the exit signs”. He clung to every word of the steward. He was the model passenger.
Why? It was all new to him.
You see, everyone might be accustomed to the routine, but there’s always a chance, like for this guy, where it’s someone’s very first time.
It was also a great reminder for me as a church leader.
That’s the way it is for some who come to church…every Sunday.
Some could script things. Some could preach should I not be able to fulfill my duties. Some would probably actually prefer that.
But there’s always one (hopefully) who has never been here before. Perhaps ever.
Perhaps they’ve never been to any church…ever. They don’t speak our language of church.
As a pastor, I’ve always been concerned about that one.
And as I read the Bible,that seems like a Jesus characteristic too. He encouraged leaving the 99 found to seek and assist the 1 who was lost.
That’s why it’s important that we tell our vision. Tell it clearly. It’s why we must explain things well. Very well. It’s why we must communicate basic information. Every week. Every time.
(Even if it’s boring to the rest of us…to someone…it’s gold!)
Thanks for the reminder U. S. Air. And that random guy who was flying for the first time. I hope it was a great experience for you.
Bonus question: What does your church do EVERY WEEK in case a visitor shows up that Sunday?
Thanks Ron! I needed to this post this week. I state our vision and talk our congregation through a communication card every Sunday. I welcome first and second time guests — even when we don't have one. It is boring. I was beginning to think it was a waste of time. You reignited my passion for this part of worship. Thank you for reminding me about that newcomer.
Thanks Pastor
I once visited a church that sent a team out to deliver cookies to our home as a "thank you" for visiting. The delivery beat us home-cookies delivered before we arrived home from church!….talk about a well-oiled system! 🙂 The message of salvation may be old hat to many, but it doesn't change the fact that is a truly, potentially life-saving (eternally that is) message to all who hear it. The message of Grace never grows old. Thank goodness! Enjoy Asheville. Love that city!
We are working on something similar. Thanks! We are having a great time.
Ron,
This reminds me of what we do in Celebrate Recovery. We start every group session the same way, reading over the same steps and principles and guidelines. It used to bother me, thinking it was a waste of time. But now, and in the context of this post, I try and see it through the eyes of the new visitor. Group can be overwhelming. You're never sure exactly what to expect, or what to say. But knowing the framework and the ground rules helps.
So, even when everyone in the group is an old hat, and most of them are wishing I'd just skip forward a bit, I still follow the outline, and read everything, every time.
And I'll admit the inside secret. There are nights when I need the reminders that are buried down in those rules myself. I'm not big on liturgical worship generally, but there is comfort in the formula of the meetings. Especially when it's been one of those days.
That's awesome. Love that ministry.
Twitter: kmac4him
says:
Oh, I am soooooooo jealous. I miss it so much! One my husband and I's favorite "dates" is to go downtown Hendersonville and walk the main street and then stop in at Kilwins get their Roasted Coconut ice cream with hot fudge sauce. Oh I better stop… I am making myself homesick!
Twitter: kmac4him
says:
My husband is a traveling job superintendent for a military contractor. We have a home in Asheville, but we travel to job locations and stay sometimes more than a year at a time. Our local church has an online ministry, so we attend online and take our church wherever we go. BUT we also believe in fellowship with other believers is so necessary, so we pick a church to attend in the area where we are planted for that job. This church we have picked here on this job location, has a very cool thing it does. They start every service with a moment of silence, adoration in welcoming of the Holy Spirit, the piano player plays a hymn and everyone bows their hearts before God reverently and in AWE. As a visitor the first time, I was nervous, but that experience of starting the worship service of bowing together before God in reverent awe, made me feel so much a part of the whole of HIS church, that I started off my visit very open hearted to God and the people of the church. It was kind of cool! It made everyone feel the same as we humbly sat before God, we were all HIS, all accepted by HIM.
Interesting. We are in Asheville now
Twitter: kmac4him
says:
PS…The church we are members of there is Biltmore Baptist, you should visit it if you have time, you would enjoy it. Our Pastor Bruce Frank is amazing at discipling us and challenging us to grow up. And our online Pastor Kevin Wimbish, you would like him, he has a heart like yours for leadership, amazing pastor! Enjoy your stay!
That's where I'm at now. Hanging out and learning for the day. Small world.
I can see how that would be cool, and a very reverent way to start a worship gathering. But my question is, how would that feel to a non-believer? You are already a part of "the whole of HIS church." To someone who, isn't that might be really weird and uncomfortable. Am I saying something like that shouldn't be done? Of course not. But if it is done, is it explained so that the un-churched in the room can understand the purpose behind it? We should never gear the content of our services to the non-believer. But we can gear the experience of our services to the non-believer (thank you Andy Stanley.) To me, it's not just being conscious of the first timer, its being conscious of the un-churched or non-believer first timers.
Good word
Twitter: kmac4him
says:
Oh Yes of course they explained it. They said: we are going to dedicate the first moment of this service to God, sit in His Presence and take a quiet moment to reflect on God, Who is the reason why we are here. I loved sitting there in the "silence" with just the piano, it was definitely great. And sometimes silence is "golden" because we whether we are saved or not live in a very "noisy" world and it is always good to take a silent break and sit before God. I think it is a very good thing for the churched and unchurched alike… silence makes us uncomfortable, no better way to breach a heart than silence before God.
Every Sun. someone from staff will address the visitors to fill out a visitors’ info. card. My pastor
also extends an invitation to Jesus after every sermon. I see some Christians start packing up their stuff at this time, but it never gets old to me. I still remember being one of those visitors hearing the invitation for the very first time.
Thanks for the confirmation.
Ron, can I suggest another application? This reminder applies to just about every form of communication in the church. When we announce, "Hey, all members of the Happy Wanderers, Wednesday is Golden Tones Night up in the Holy Grounds Cafe", that first-time person you described has no idea what we're talking about. Not a bad idea to run all church communications through a "first-timers" filter.
Great reminder. Thanks Scott