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Rainer on becoming a more welcoming church

Notes for future reference regarding a community welcoming church:
https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/seven-potentially-deadly-church-sicknesses/
  1. Attitudinal Angst: a church illness where church members are most focused on getting their own desires and preferences met, rather than being a serving member of the body of Christ. It is also called Church Country Club Membership.
  2. Slippage Syndrome: the church illness where a church stops focusing on its primary purposes. Evangelism slippage is the most common.
  3. Detail Distraction: a church illness where there is too much focus on minor issues to the detriment of major issues. For example, routine meetings can become more important than compelling missions.
  4. Institutional Idolatry: a church illness where the members have an unbiblical devotion to inconsequential matters such as facilities, order of worship, or styles of worship.
  5. Activity Acclimation: a church illness where the members see busyness to be the same as commitment and/or godliness. The church calendar becomes the guiding document for the congregation.
  6. Purposeless Prayer: the church illness where corporate prayer is non-existent or steeped in non-useful tradition. Such prayers can be perfunctory, showy, or gossipy.
  7. Detrimental Defensiveness: a church illness where the members and leadership are fearful to move forward because of memories of past conflicts and the presence of troublemakers and bullies.
https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/eight-questions-welcoming-churches-ask/
  1. Are our members inviting others?
  2. Does our website communicate to guests?
  3. Are our members friendly to guests or to members only?
  4. Is our facility clean, tidy, and safe?
  5. Are there barriers to worship?
  6. Are we speaking a foreign language?
  7. Do we follow up with guests in a timely manner?
  8. Do we have clear next steps?
 https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/understanding-impact-community-involvement-church-health-revitalize-replant-032/

  1. Understand the community has changed
  2. Understand the level to which they have been blessed
  3. Understand the community as an opportunity to display love
  4. Understand it is obedience
https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/develop-welcoming-worship-ministry-rainer-leadership-413/
  1. Avoid “Insider Trading”
  2. Nobody likes Worship Casserole
  3. Tick Tock, the Game is Locked
  4. To Thine Own Self Be true
https://thomrainer.com/2018/03/9-keys-church-members-guest-friendly-easter/
  1. Pray as you enter the property.
  2. Park at the most distant spot available.
  3. Greet people.
  4. Look for people to help.
  5. Sit as close as possible to the front of the worship center.
  6. Sit in the middle.
  7. Sit closely.
  8. Volunteer to serve.
  9. Pray as you leave.
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