Every Sunday we have numerous guests at our services. Some have been coming for weeks or months and really feel at home. We thank God for using us to be a blessing to others. We want everyone possible to share in the joy, hope, salvation and brotherly love we have here. You know the children’s song, “Love is something – if you give it away,… you end up having more.” That’s how we want people to feel who come to Walnut Hill. Perhaps those who come for the first time feel a little nervous. They wonder where to go, where to sit, will they be accepted? You do a marvelous job of making our new people feel welcome. In fact, a visitor once told me, “This is the friendliest church, I have ever been to. When I go back home to church I am going to tell our preacher to preach on friendliness.” If you are an “astute observer” you will notice that every week we have anywhere from 5-10 new faces. As we continue to grow here at Walnut Hill, never forget how important it is to show Christian love and friendliness to everyone, but especially to new people.
Mike
The first 7 seconds are of crucial importance in our encounters with each other. In those few seconds we make up our minds about the persons we meet and they make up their minds about us. Social researchers believe it takes only 7 seconds for a salesman to judge a customer; 7 seconds for a mugger to size up a potential victim; 7 seconds to sense attraction for a member of the opposite sex.
This rapid analysis and reaction is what we call a “first impression.” If it takes just 7 seconds to make up our minds about another person, how long does it take visitors to make up their minds about our church? Not long. This means we should take every opportunity to greet visitors and make them feel welcome as soon as they arrive. We never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Borrowed