Have you ever found it difficult to get connected in a church? Studies have shown that people new to a church are far more likely to stay if they develop real, meaningful relationships – or to put it another way… they stay when they get connected! I am so thankful for our Connect Groups here at Swift Creek and the job they do of helping people connect. We as a staff are constantly hearing about exciting ways people are getting connected within these groups.
With that said we must never become too comfortable in our Connecting with Others! As Pastor Monty said just a couple of weeks ago, “every church thinks they are a friendly church.” Most of the time this means they are friendly with the people they already know…but the outsider may have a very different opinion about how friendly the church really is! I believe Swift Creek really is a friendly church but we can do better.
Our First Impressions Team is doing a fantastic job of greeting people as they park in the guest parking, as our guests enter the front doors there are greeters there to say “Good Morning and Welcome to Swift Creek” and then our Welcome Center Team members greet our guests and escort them wherever they need to go. I have visited a church before where no one spoke to us the entire time we were on the campus. At Swift Creek no less than three people should have greeted and spoken to every one of our guests before they get past the Welcome Center! But having a great First Impressions Team is not enough to fulfill our mission of “Connecting with Others”.
Swift Creek must be more than just a friendly place – we must a place where you can actually find a friend! Walmart used to have friendly greeters although I seldom see them anymore. But did the Walmart greeter ever invite you out to lunch after shopping! I doubt it. If we are truly going to connect with others we must be intentional in investing time into our relationships. Every one of us is busy, I get that, but we need each other to become the Christ followers that God desires!
If you only come to worship and then leave, you may be Connecting with God but you are missing out on Connecting with Others. If you are not currently in a Connect Group class, let me encourage you to try one out. Who knows you may make a lifelong connection that God wants to use to bless you and help you grow in your faith! And maybe there is someone already in the group that is longing to connect with someone just like you! We are created in God’s image and designed to connect with one another so please try a class this coming Sunday at 8:00, 9:30 or 11:00!
Connecting with Others – it is more than part of our Mission Statement – it is central to what it means to be a Christian. There are over 20 places in Scripture that talk about how we relate to “One Another”. We cannot live out these “one another” commands if we are not connected to each other…so be intentional and Get Connected. Your life may never be the same!