Summer Seekers
As a pastor, I have noticed a rather unusual occurrence every summer season. Our worship services usually have less people because of folks who are on vacations and weekend outings. However, we have a larger number of guests in our services each week. The regulars are gone more, and the new folks are there more. I am not quite sure why it happens this way, but I think people have more time in the summer with longer days and no school.
I believe this gives us a special opportunity to use the summer to build new relationships, if we will all be aware of the folks around us in the worship services. Really, the worship service is a mission field, and it is even a greater mission field in the summer. When we come in to worship, we should not be focused on ourselves first. We should look around for new people whom we can meet and make them feel welcome. We never know what those people are going through or why they are there. We should assume they need to know Christ, or at the very least, they need to experience the love of Jesus through one of His children.
Summer is unique. The regular routine is broken. However, it is not a time to relax spiritually. We should be just as focused on the Lord and on our church family, as well as being focused on the "summer seekers" who come to join us. I pray we will all have a great summer. One thing that would make it even better is to see some of those seekers come to know Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 10-12.
I believe this gives us a special opportunity to use the summer to build new relationships, if we will all be aware of the folks around us in the worship services. Really, the worship service is a mission field, and it is even a greater mission field in the summer. When we come in to worship, we should not be focused on ourselves first. We should look around for new people whom we can meet and make them feel welcome. We never know what those people are going through or why they are there. We should assume they need to know Christ, or at the very least, they need to experience the love of Jesus through one of His children.
Summer is unique. The regular routine is broken. However, it is not a time to relax spiritually. We should be just as focused on the Lord and on our church family, as well as being focused on the "summer seekers" who come to join us. I pray we will all have a great summer. One thing that would make it even better is to see some of those seekers come to know Christ.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Psalms 10-12.