The Greatest Invitation Goes Far Beyond Sunday Morning

By Shianne Bujtor, Director of Connections

The most welcoming place on earth should be the local church and the most welcoming people on earth should be Christians. Why? So that lost people can hear the Good News and encounter the living God. All of us who know Jesus as our Savior and follow Him have been invited and have been welcomed. Maybe our first invitation was from a friend, teammate, neighbor, coworker… you fill in the blank, but at some point someone invited you to come to church, and by the grace of the Lord, you said yes! It can be easy for us to fall into our Sunday rhythms and forget that every single Sunday is someone’s very first Sunday. We must fight that current to ensure we keep an attitude and mentality that is focused on making room for others to feel welcomed, both in our church and in our day to day lives.

Think back to your first Sunday at a new church and think about what you made note of. On that list is probably a note about the message or how the worship made you feel, but for most, I’d argue that on that list is a specific memory of how someone made you feel. At some point throughout your morning, someone showed a little extra kindness and warmth that made an impact in your life – maybe it was a simple “Good Morning,” maybe it was helping you find your way through a new campus, maybe it was sliding down a seat so you’d have a place to sit, maybe it was a childcare worker helping with your little one, an extra moment an individual spent getting to know you, or a hot cup of coffee when you needed it. You experienced more than just what took place in the order of service and our experiences matter. Experiences are made up of small encounters and interactions that ultimately shape our attitude and perceptions, and then form our opinions. How you were treated that very first Sunday impacted your decision to return a second time more than you may have thought. The same goes now for those who join us on Sundays. People remember how we make them feel. We must remember that from the initial invitation, to our Sunday morning encounters, we are clearing a way for a far greater invitation and far greater sense of welcome, we are inviting people to an invitation to hear and respond to the gospel. Praise the Lord we have a hospitable God who has always welcomed us in. We should all strive to be more like Him in our welcoming of others. How do we do that?

We remember the blessing of belonging, and we seek to share that blessing with others. Sunday mornings are about fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ, as we exalt the Lord, together. Remember that the church is a community of believers gathering together, not simply a location or a space. Embrace community with one another and believe that we are better, together.

We remember hospitality is a culture, not the job of a few, but the job of all. Throughout scripture, we are called to show hospitality to one another. Showing hospitality is a way that we show Jesus’ love to others through our words, actions, and attitude. It’s not just the job of the Guest Services Team to be hospitable and helpful, but every member’s responsibility to outdo one another in showing love.

We remember that it’s better to invest, not just to attend. As members of Taylors FBC, it’s far more rewarding to invest where we’ve placed our roots, than simply to show up. God has called you to be a member of this body for a reason. Ask yourself, “How can I use my gifts to serve Him, His church, and expand His Kingdom?” You’ll find great joy when you choose to use your time, talents, and treasures for His glory and the work He is doing within our church.

We remember to begin with the end in mind. All that we do should be done with the anticipation of the earth being filled with the knowledge and glory of the Lord, with the desire to be one of many standing before the throne of the Lord on the day of salvation. We must take every opportunity to share about the goodness of the Lord, and to show it, too. We must believe that our efforts matter, and that every Sunday is an opportunity for someone to come to know the Lord as Savior.

Romans 12:9-13: Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.