We’ve talked about our need for growth as a congregation. It’s twofold: one, if we don’t grow we will disappear; two (and more importantly), Jesus commanded us to get out and make disciples (and let our light shine, be salt, etc.)

On the TV show “Alf” (remember that one? About the smart-mouthed, furry little alien?) Willy once told Alf, “Sometimes you have to grab life by the lapels and shake it.” Alf replied, “You know what you get when you shake life by the lapels, Willy? Life’s dandruff!”

What are some of the drawbacks of bringing new (lost) people into our congregation here?

• Their kids may be unruly.

• They may not know how we do things. (i.e. questions asked from the pulpit may not call for an answer from the crowd; what’s with the grape juice and tiny piece of bread; etc.)

• We’ll lose the closeness we have as a small congregation.

• Lost people can be very messy (spiritually and emotionally more than physically)

Now, in any endeavor, it’s hard to plan for every single possible outcome. However, we can do our best to look at likely outcomes and plan for those. Let’s look at the four things I just listed above and see how we could plan ahead to address them.

Matthew 19:13-14
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven." (ESV)

1. Kids are naturally exuberant and inquisitive. We know that. And while many of us may have raised our children in church and instilled in them a sense of decorum when at Sunday services (or at least tried), the kids of the lost may not have been taught that. What do we do? The temptation is to just sit back, watch the kids go wild, and grumble to ourselves, “Why doesn’t someone do something about that kid?!?” WRONG!! The right thing to do is to invite that kid and his/her family to sit with you. Engage them in conversation. Don’t wait for someone else to do it! Start building a friendship there so that you can patiently and loving minister to that child.

Proverbs 17:17
A friend is loving at all times, and becomes a brother in times of trouble. (BBE)

2. The answer for number 1 is a lot like the answer for number 2. When a new person or new family comes in, don’t stop with welcoming them. Invite them to sit with you. Try to convey that, if they’ve got questions about what’s going on, you’re happy to either answer or find an answer. Think about a few Sundays ago when we gathered at the end of the service in a prayer circle. That’s something that might freak out a stranger. But, if you have brought a friend, or if you have just made an effort to make a friend of a stranger who showed up, you may be able to assuage a lot of their nervousness by walking them through what’s going on. So plan on not just bringing friends or greeting newcomers, but engaging them.

There’s a story I’ve heard several times (don’t know if it’s true, but it’s good!) about a church service. One Sunday morning at this church—which was made up of people who “skewed older” as far as demographics went, and were mostly upper-middle-class economically—a young stranger came in. He was in his late teens to early twenties and he was dressed weird (to their minds). You know: all in black, lots of chains, multiple-piercings on his ears and nose and lips. And rather than sit in a pew, he strolls down to the front and just plops down on the floor in the center aisle. As the song starts, he starts clapping along even though no one else is. Everyone’s wondering what to do when one of the church’s elders—a very elderly gentleman—stands up and makes his way to the newcomer. Everyone’s thinking, “Mister Smith’ll take care of this.” And he does. But what Mister Smith does it walk up to the young man, plop down (as much as his aging joints will let him) beside him, and start clapping along.

Mister Smith got it right!!
Acts 2:42-44
And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common. (ESV)

3. The answer to this one is found in both of the previous answers. What we’re really afraid of is the possible lack of community. The plan we develop is to integrate the new people into our community. “But wait,” you’re also thinking, “If we grow so big we’ll become impersonal like that big church I visited in the city.” Why is that inevitable? Here’s what I propose: let’s don’t become a mega-church here in Dumas. Dumas has plenty of room for another Christian church, so let’s set a goal on starting one. There’s nothing wrong with “big” churches, but big churches aren’t for everyone. So, as we build our congregation and build great relationships, let’s plan on expanding our influence in this town without losing what makes us special!

Luke 10:30-35
Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion. He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him. And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'" (ESV)

4. Ministry takes time. And sometimes, the ministry you are called to deal with is not something you have ever dealt with before. You bring a friend to church on BAFD, they are interested in what they find here and they start asking you questions. At first, you’re really excited, but then as you get to know the person you start finding out that they’ve got some really big potholes in their life. Stuff you don’t know how to deal with. How do you plan ahead for that? To start with, you pray ahead. You get to know your fellow servants of Christ here so that you have someone who can lend a hand or at least pray for you. And you plan to stick it out!

What do I DO with This?

• Start planning (with prayer) about how you will act and react when given the chance to minister.

• Plan on befriending even people who aren’t your “usual cup of tea”.

• Be ready to take the time necessary to do God’s work.

Comments? Questions? Email me: martha917@yahoo.com