Welcome…
Welcome may be a little more tricky than greeting.
Welcome requires a personal decision to approach. There are those for whom this requires some courage. Many people do not naturally gravitate toward people they do not know. Watch gatherings of people and I will guarantee that when we gather in small groups, little comfortable clans of people around whom we are at ease.
This is natural and normal and usual.
Which means “welcoming all God’s people” is somewhat unnatural.
Keep in mind, welcome is qualitatively different from greeting.
Welcome requires engaging another person, if even for just a brief conversation. “Hello, I am Jeff. (Then we wait for the person to offer their name.) We are glad you came.”
The conversation may take many different directions from this point. “Would you mind if I sit with you and help you with our worship?” “Do you have a hymnal, a bulletin, etc.? If you are comfortable, you are welcome to take communion with us.”
Many people say, “I don’t speak to guests, because I don’t know whether they are a visitor or not?”
The perfect answer for that is to say this: “I don’t believe we are acquainted. My name is Jeff.” Perfect answer for that excuse that you are not sure whether someone is a member or a regular visitor.
Welcome is a Biblical principle.
Jesus speaks clearly of the absolute necessity for “welcome” in the community of faith. He does not mince words or simply suggest we do these things. He says this: “As you did it to the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.”And further, he says, “Truly, I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.”
If we are nervous about welcoming guests, Jesus helps us relax by telling us that all the people we are to welcome belong to him. They belong to him. All people are his people. God is in them, Christ is one with them. Christ is in us. The Christ in us meets the Christ in them.
All fear is gone.
Guests are potential friends.
Guests bring new and exciting perspective and creative gifts to share.
There is no more poignant theological action than welcome.
Moving to the deeper places,
Jeff