Are We a Friendly Congregation?

[400 words] While we must be concerned with doing what we do in worship according to Christ’s expressed will, we must also be sure to reflect His love to strangers, newcomers, outsiders, and otherwise unfamiliar faces. To improve upon our friendliness, we should consider the following principles: We must stop expecting that others will represent us in friendliness. Maybe we look at those few members of the congregation that “go after” our visitors and conclude that they are covering the bases for the rest of us. They cannot reach everybody, but even if they can their friendliness does not let us off the hook. Dear reader, the chances are great that I am challenging you! We must not use our introverted nature as an excuse. Introverts may mistakenly conclude that extroverts are merely doing what comes natural to them. As a representative of the extrovert clan, may I suggest that connecting with visitors…