Wednesday, January 24, 2024

During last weekend’s message, Pastor Ben reminded us there is power in the social connections we make at church. I started thinking over a series of conversations I had this past Christmastime:

…I ran into Linda at Meijer. We talked about family and the Christmas dinner menu, which for me, is all about the feast of the seven fishes.

…Thankfully, Ron mentioned “The Fish Market” in Erie, Michigan, because I typically have seafood shipped from New York, which costs more.

…Austin (not my father-in-law) asked how Christmas dinner went. He seemed interested in the turtle soup.

…Madison said her family decided to do the feast after hearing about the various dishes we create.

Those are the names of four people who look nothing like me. People who I might have seen around town after moving to Ohio, but would never have known. So, what’s our connection? CedarCreek’s Findlay campus—and those weren’t one-time conversations. Our faith and love as a family continue to bring us closer; and with some, it extends beyond the church doors.

Hebrews 13:1-2
¹ Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. 2 Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! (Emphasis added.)

Friends are great, but they aren’t strangers. Being social with other Christians and non-alikes is how you welcome them and Jesus. It’s the social part of being a Christian (Matthew 25:35).

How many of us have “assigned seats” during service? My family is always front right, facing the stage, and I expect to have the same seating at the new Findlay campus. I definitely see others who have their preferred seating too. They enter the building, grab a coffee, take their seats, and rush out after service. It’s a continuous routine that offers little connection beyond the weekend message.

As a lobby host, I step outside my comfort zone to invite those church strangers into a conversation. I ask how long they’ve attended CedarCreek, if they’re from Findlay, and what they enjoy doing. We bounce around shallow “soup questions” to build social familiarity. After a few conversations, I feel comfortable enough to get a little deeper and ask what’s keeping them from serving on the DreamTeam or joining a Group. We talk about family and what’s on our minds.

There’s only one way to become comfortable enough to move beyond soup questions, and the first step is saying, “Hello!”

Questions:
Do you connect with strangers at church? How has being social changed your church experience?

Next Steps:
Spend time in the lobby before and after service to start a conversation with someone new. Sit close to someone who is by themselves before service and introduce yourself.

Plan to attend Prayer and Worship Night at your campus on 1/28 from 5:30-6:30pm.

21 Days of Prayer: Day 17—Faith (Jeremiah 32:17)
Today’s Prayer Focus: To Express my Faith in God’s Ability 

Prayer:
Dear God, nothing is too hard for you! Through your great power, all things are possible. All authority is yours, all might is yours, and I know that your victory will be complete. You are amazing, and I worship you. I glorify you for your power and presence in my life. You are my God, and you are worthy of all praise. Amen.

Series Theme Verse:

2 Peter 1:3
By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

This post was written by Jaron Camp, a regular contributor of the Living it Out.