Good things happen when you... (Part 2)

I have found that the culture you pick for your life, that you value and embrace, and that you live out...has a huge bearing on how life is and will be for you!

Some time ago I was part of a group who wanted to reinvent one of our Sunday services.
Normally you pick some people to be at the door when people arrive. They hand out something and greet people as they walk in, they are the first point of contact.
But we were after a culture change. We wanted something different from the 'norm'. So we decided that everyone part of the team putting the service together was the welcome team.
Everybody was to greet. Everybody was there to serve visitors, guests and our regulars.
And very quickly our culture changed!

As the service attendance grew everyone grew with it.
We went from 5 or 6 welcoming people to what seemed like everyone doing it.

Good things happen when you welcome!
It has the potential to change not only your life, but their life and even influence history!

Imagine coming to visit me at my home for a second...
After you have knocked on the door you wait.
I open the door and see you...
What happens next is important!
If I say no thanks, shut the door and leave you stranded on my doorstep, you would feel pretty stink!
But if I say "great to see you, want to come in?" your world will feel right...

I think we should apply the principle of welcome to all areas of our life and faith.

Have a look through scripture and welcome is a very regular reoccurring theme!
“Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." [Jesus Matthew 10:20]
Then Jesus called for the children and said to the disciples, "Let the children come to me. Don't stop them! For the Kingdom of God belongs to those who are like these children. [Luke 18:16]
For two whole years Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him. [Acts 28:30]

Paul in a few of his letters mentioned about specific people who should be welcomed.
While John mentions a guy who was the opposite, who specifically made others in Christ feel not welcome, and that was a bad a thing!

May you decide to explore this some more this week?
Maybe decide what sort of culture is important to you?
Do you want to be someone who welcomes and what can you do to make sure this is a reality?
I think good things happen when we welcome...

Something to think about...