What does your community think about the church where you attend? What are we known for? What do others think of us?
The answer too often is that the world is hardly aware of our presence, at least with reference to specific congregations. They drive by our buildings daily and see our limited advertising and public relations effort, but hardly notice us. That doesn’t mean, however, that they don’t have an opinion about churches in general.
Many see us as mere benevolent organizations and become upset when their expectations of financial help, travel assistance, or other funding are not met.
Others see us as exclusive and closed; they would hardly consider visiting our activities despite our welcome signs and published meetings. Sometimes that opinion is reinforced when they do muster the courage to visit us and find us only superficially friendly–jumping through the right hoops but not quite communicating genuineness. We reinforce the opinion even more when we say “welcome” but fail to follow up with cards, calls, visits, and other expressions of genuine interest.
Some have had negative interactions in the past and see us critics and condemners. Often this has occurred when they met a Christian who was more focused on checklist Christianity than on meeting people’s needs and healing their hurts and hearts.
Some see us as consumers–using up land and resources tax free with little or no benefit to anyone outside the local group.
You can probably continue the negative list, but let me turn the question around. What would you like for others to think? How would you like for your local church to be known? When we can answer that question, we have made a first step toward repairing our image, and our focus.
Could we be known as those who tend and nourish what is best in human beings?
Could we be known as those who creatively think and do things that have never been thought or done before to make the world a better place?
Could we be known as those who make the world more welcoming and thrilling and beautiful?
