There is a stirring in the culture here at Anthem Church.
We have always been a church that has worked towards welcoming, putting our best foot forward in friendliness, hospitality, and connection. One of the most frequent answers we receive when members are asked why they settled here at Anthem points to this work - “The people were just so friendly. We felt right at home.”
God’s grace has afforded us this beautiful framework; many churches don’t even get this far. There is a legacy of welcoming that stretches back to the very start of the church.
However, a new season requires a revitalization of welcoming, one that surpasses nostalgia and sentiment and works itself into the very core of who we are as a church. Revitalization, in addition to vision and leadership, requires intention and embodiment. Here are three reasons why now is a great time to join us in embodying this holy welcome at this time.
Perhaps you’re a bit like me - when I hear the words “welcome” or “hospitality,” in my mind they are pretty much synonymous with “nice” or “friendly.” Good traits to have, to be sure; in fact, the fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 includes kindness, goodness, and love as signs that the Spirit is growing us more into the image of Christ. Unfortunately, however, often this sentiment boils down to a shallow attempt to be nice, and not even for holy, redeemed reasons. “Christians are supposed to be nice and welcoming, so we need to be nice and welcoming” is a good thought, but lacks the depth and passion of the welcoming God we serve.
God was more than “nice” or “kind” to us. The bible is full of language that tells the story of the reality of our rescue. We were dead, and then made alive. We were prisoners, and now we have been liberated. We were alienated by our sin, and that sin has been covered so we are now brought near. We squandered our inheritance, and instead of coming home in shame we were given robes, rings, shoes, feasts, and a kiss of acceptance.
Most of us, if not all of us, were not saved in a vacuum. These spiritual realities touched us when someone took the time to sit with us, to hear us, to be patient with us, to push back, to teach us. In short: someone joined in the welcoming work of God on our behalf. While we aren’t the ones doing the saving (that’s God’s job), Jesus did tell us to go into the world and make his name known. We have the duty and the privilege of joining God in welcoming his sons and daughters home, and one of the places where this posture is most important is on a Sunday morning at our gathering.
Love, or welcoming, must move past mere sentiment or conviction. This conviction is very important; we need to be properly fueled by truth in order to love well. However, often time our welcoming posture stops here: we as a church know we should be welcoming, and we desire to be welcoming, but we struggle to know what that means on a practical level.
While far from a perfect, all-encompassing solution, the Welcome Team is our first step towards cementing our love into action on Sunday Mornings. Instead of letting people drift in an out of our gatherings, unsure of where to go or what to do, we desire to express our forethought and intention through clear service and connection. We want to show others that we care they joined us - and that we thought of them and prayed for them ahead of time. To be a truly welcoming body, we need to present clear pathways for people to not only feel welcomed, but to then actually be welcomed into the community at Anthem. This process starts with the Welcome Team.
Though we aren’t operating in the ways we are used to, our outdoor gatherings are still an opportunity to welcome newcomers and members alike and demonstrate the welcoming heart of Christ to all who gather with us. May we be found when the need is great, not scrambling to make a space for outsiders, but ready with open arms to receive newcomers in Christ, joining hands with them in the first steps of their journey towards light and forgiveness.
For all the info you need regarding the Welcome Team, including signups and further information about our vision, please click here. We need you in this important moment - join us!
We have always been a church that has worked towards welcoming, putting our best foot forward in friendliness, hospitality, and connection. One of the most frequent answers we receive when members are asked why they settled here at Anthem points to this work - “The people were just so friendly. We felt right at home.”
God’s grace has afforded us this beautiful framework; many churches don’t even get this far. There is a legacy of welcoming that stretches back to the very start of the church.
However, a new season requires a revitalization of welcoming, one that surpasses nostalgia and sentiment and works itself into the very core of who we are as a church. Revitalization, in addition to vision and leadership, requires intention and embodiment. Here are three reasons why now is a great time to join us in embodying this holy welcome at this time.
- We serve a Welcoming God
Perhaps you’re a bit like me - when I hear the words “welcome” or “hospitality,” in my mind they are pretty much synonymous with “nice” or “friendly.” Good traits to have, to be sure; in fact, the fruit of the spirit mentioned in Galatians 5 includes kindness, goodness, and love as signs that the Spirit is growing us more into the image of Christ. Unfortunately, however, often this sentiment boils down to a shallow attempt to be nice, and not even for holy, redeemed reasons. “Christians are supposed to be nice and welcoming, so we need to be nice and welcoming” is a good thought, but lacks the depth and passion of the welcoming God we serve.
God was more than “nice” or “kind” to us. The bible is full of language that tells the story of the reality of our rescue. We were dead, and then made alive. We were prisoners, and now we have been liberated. We were alienated by our sin, and that sin has been covered so we are now brought near. We squandered our inheritance, and instead of coming home in shame we were given robes, rings, shoes, feasts, and a kiss of acceptance.
Most of us, if not all of us, were not saved in a vacuum. These spiritual realities touched us when someone took the time to sit with us, to hear us, to be patient with us, to push back, to teach us. In short: someone joined in the welcoming work of God on our behalf. While we aren’t the ones doing the saving (that’s God’s job), Jesus did tell us to go into the world and make his name known. We have the duty and the privilege of joining God in welcoming his sons and daughters home, and one of the places where this posture is most important is on a Sunday morning at our gathering.
- We need to be a Welcoming Body
Love, or welcoming, must move past mere sentiment or conviction. This conviction is very important; we need to be properly fueled by truth in order to love well. However, often time our welcoming posture stops here: we as a church know we should be welcoming, and we desire to be welcoming, but we struggle to know what that means on a practical level.
While far from a perfect, all-encompassing solution, the Welcome Team is our first step towards cementing our love into action on Sunday Mornings. Instead of letting people drift in an out of our gatherings, unsure of where to go or what to do, we desire to express our forethought and intention through clear service and connection. We want to show others that we care they joined us - and that we thought of them and prayed for them ahead of time. To be a truly welcoming body, we need to present clear pathways for people to not only feel welcomed, but to then actually be welcomed into the community at Anthem. This process starts with the Welcome Team.
- We have a Welcoming Opportunity
Though we aren’t operating in the ways we are used to, our outdoor gatherings are still an opportunity to welcome newcomers and members alike and demonstrate the welcoming heart of Christ to all who gather with us. May we be found when the need is great, not scrambling to make a space for outsiders, but ready with open arms to receive newcomers in Christ, joining hands with them in the first steps of their journey towards light and forgiveness.
For all the info you need regarding the Welcome Team, including signups and further information about our vision, please click here. We need you in this important moment - join us!
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