For many of us, we are always looking for small ways to serve the church family that is Crossroads.  While the larger opportunities can seem overwhelming at times the small opportunities can see insignificant.  I would like to offer up a way that all of us can help our church body grow and become what God has in store for us.  By simply taking a few minutes every Sunday to truly welcome and love our visitors as Jesus called us to do in Matthew 7:12, we can turn a visitor into a member of our family.  Many of us are familiar with this passage as the "Golden Rule", but how often is it really easy to neglect this simple philosophy on how to love one another and not just worry about ourselves.  In our culture we are riddled daily with self serving thoughts and even heralded if we do so in a way that raises us to the top of our chosen profession.  I propose that we need a change of heart and mind in this vital area.  All of us need to work on the basics of loving one another as we want to be loved.  I have borrowed a unique list of ways to make someone visiting our family feel as if they are important and that we want to welcome them into our body of Christ in a way that is genuine and real.  This will help us to reach more people for the Lord as well as allowing us to grow in a way that can give us the opportunity to birth another church that will also love God as called to do so.  It is imperative for us to find a way to actively love each other and any new comers if we are to carry out the mission of Crossroads.  Below is the of things that can be done simply to make a huge impact on wither non-believers, visitors or new Christians entering our church for the first time.  These are the 7 things that we should say to our guests to make a huge impact.

           1.  "Thank you for being here."  It's just that basic.  Many people will return to a church simply because they were thanked and it makes them feel appreciated.
           2.  "Let me help you with that."  If you see someone struggling with umbrellas, diaper bags, coats, etc... A gesture to hold something for the is a huge positive.  Of course, this is appropriate for us to offer to other members as well.
           3.  "Please take my seat."  This is a very powerful way to show love and true appreciation for someone that is new and looking for a place to call home.  When a family is attepting to find a place to sit together, offering up your seat could make it much easier to for them to be together while showing them that their family is very important to ours.
           4.  "Here is my e-mail address.  Please let me know if I can help in any way."  Making ourselves available to is huge for creating relationships and bonds to hold together and increase our family.  Obviously, this needs to be used with discretion, but imagine the impact that it can make when used appropriately to give someone an avenue to reach out to the church without having to feel like they will be attacked by the leadership team, or guilted into coming back if they give out their email.
           5.  "Can I show you where you need to go."  When its your first time going to a new place, you don't know where things are and being available to point out the location of the nursery, the childrens church or even just offering up a cup of coffee really eases the tensions of being in a new place.
           6.  "Let me introduce you to __________."  The return rate of visitors when they meet more than a couple of people is much higher,  It increases the chances of actually making a connection with someone.  Be sure to find an elder, the pastor  or any outgoing member of the church to help minimize any awkwardness.
           7.  "Would you join us for lunch."  When we have a potluck or any opportunity to share food together, it is uncomfortable for a guest to come to the meal.  Even though the pastor will invite them from the pulpit, their reluctance will be very high.  What an amazing opportunity for us to make our guests feel truly welcome as we extend a personal invite.  It also allows us to get to know them a little better and gives them an opportunity to see what makes us tick.  This last one has huge ipact on the returning as they are afforded real time to interact with our church family and see how they fit in.

     It is a beautiful thing to take a minute and put others before ourselves in a way that will make our Father proud.  I truly believe that these types of actions and attitudes are truly infectious in a way that makes people want to be a part of it.  Just think of how these small gestures would make you feel in a new place where you don't know anyone.  I believe that it would make you feel genuinely wanted and appreciated.  I know that I would want to come back and find out what this church is all about.  We all have a desire to be loved and needed and that's just what these types of actions will show our guests.

In His Mighty Grip,
Casey