The Richmond Outreach Center Models Civil Service, Community Outreach
Many People Visit Several Churches Before Joining a Congregation; However, a Recent Christian Chronicle Article Pointed Out That Some Churches Are Not Making an Effort to Welcome Their Guests; The Richmond Outreach Center Makes Sure to Greet All of Its Guests When They Visit the Church for the First Time
(firmenpresse) - RICHMOND, VA -- (Marketwire) -- 06/19/12 -- Sarah Stirman and her family visited about six churches when they moved to Dallas, but their experiences were all the same -- unfriendly and not very Christ-like, according to a in The Christian Chronicle. Stirman said she and her family were completely ignored before service began. The only time anyone acknowledged them was during the church's traditional "greet and meet" where people typically shake hands for a few seconds during service. The Richmond Outreach Center, a non-denominational church, takes extra steps to make sure visitors are not ignored in their holy institution.
Reaching out to visitors does not have to be a hard task, said Mark Blackwelder, a minister at Estes Church of Christ. He said that churches can follow three simple times to interact with newcomers, and hopefully, grow their organizations. First, Blackwelder said churches must have an outreach mentality focusing on shaping others. Also, church leaders must encourage members of the congregation to greet visitors. Finally, churches must make the extra effort to ensure contact with visitors. This means more than saying "hello" or "goodbye." Church members can ask guests to sit with them or invite them out for a cup of coffee.
Geronimo Aguilar, pastor of , said his church follows those steps, but also goes above and beyond to make first-time visitors feel loved and welcomed.
"We have what we call a 'greeting line,' which is comprised of Soulwinning Soldiers, our Motorcycle Ministry, who line up exclusively to shake hands with guests and greet them with a smile," he said. "If there is one unanimous response I hear from first-time guests at The Richmond Outreach Center, it's that 'they've never felt more welcomed.'"
Blackwelder said that utilizing his three key strategies will make a difference in the church and its congregation.
"Most people who are not already members of Churches of Christ are unlikely to be comfortable visiting church services anyway," he said. "Growth among the unchurched or denominational sectors generally comes through personal contact away from the building. However, that important transition from non-Christian to new Christian... can be heavily influenced by the church's friendliness and a growing number of meaningful relationships with members."
encourages all congregations to find ways to effectively communicate with visitors. Pastor Aguilar said employing friendly techniques, such as his church's greeting line, is one reason visitors come back, and eventually, join the congregation to deliver God's message.
ABOUT:
The Richmond Outreach Center, founded in 2001, is a non-denominational church located in Richmond, Virginia. The church welcomes anyone who wants to learn more about the Christianity religion. The Richmond Outreach Center promotes education, healthy living, non-violence and community involvement to all its members.
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Datum: 19.06.2012 - 10:00 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 157614
Anzahl Zeichen: 6056
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RICHMOND, VA
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Education Aids and Products
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