"The Visitor"

“The Visitor”
Kennard Friends Church
March 18, 2011

I remember what it FELT like the first time I fly on a jet airplane! It was the take-off that was amazing for me! The “G” forces felt strong. The speed of the plane felt like I was shooting off into outer space. It was exciting and exhilarating. But I have FELT that same experience since. I figured up that I have taken off on a jet plane about 250 times. My body has totally forgotten what the “first time” experience felt like.

Maybe you can remember the “first time” experiences you’ve had. Riding The Beast at King’s Island for the first time; stepping into the home you bought for the first time; driving that new car for the first time. The FEELING you had did not last long. You may still love and enjoy the roller coaster, the house and the car. But that special FEELING is so much less, or it’s gone.

Today I want to talk about what it is like to be a first time visitor to church. Actually, I want to do more than talk about it. I could not come up with words for a sermon to do this justice. I would like to do a seminar on this topic, so that it could be more like an interactive teaching lesson. So today’s message is going to be different… very different. It is part sermon and part seminar. It is a Sermonar!

Let’s look at the scriptures again to see how the “church” should respond to guests (visitors):
Titus 1:7-9
7 An elder[a] is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker,[b] violent, or dishonest with money.
8 Rather, he must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must love what is good. He must live wisely and be just. He must live a devout and disciplined life. 9 He must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught; then he will be able to encourage others with wholesome teaching and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

1 Timothy 3: 1-3
1 This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder,[a] he desires an honorable position.” 2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife.[b] He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. 3 He must not be a heavy drinker[c] or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money.

This sermonar may be a different experience than you have ever had in a church worship service. But I believe this has been bathed in prayer and the ideas have come from the Lord. I was struggling with how to put the concept of the issue of the visitor to the church into words. So God led me to think of a way to use exercises that would hopefully speak volumes. So I ask for your grace and mercy as you experience today’s message, rather than just hearing it.

You are not going to love this first exercise, but please bear with me so you can truly understand the point it makes.
• Those who have been attending more than 12 months please participate
• Everyone else can remain seated where they are
• I would ask the first group to pick up their Bibles, purses, etc. and move to an opposite position in sanctuary; front to back, north to south, don’t sit with anyone you came with, etc.
How do you feel? Uncomfortable? Weird? Different? Here’s the first point of today’s message. This is what the first time visitor feels like… and probably even more extreme! How long has it been since you were a first time visitor to this church? Too long to remember. Just now you are getting a little reminder of what they feel. So just keep that in mind as visitors come.

The next exercise is one that you will not have to do anything. In fact, I want to stress that you do nothing… absolutely nothing. I am going to use a timer for two minutes. During that time I ask that we be as quiet and still. Don’t pray, don’t read your Bible or your bulletin. Just be still.

How do you feel? Uncomfortable? Weird? Different? Here’s the second point of today’s message. This is what the first time visitor feels like… and probably even more extreme! How long has it been since you were a first time visitor to this church? Too long to remember. Just now you are getting a little reminder of what they feel. So just keep that in mind as visitors come.

Ready for the next exercise? Ready to vote again for who you want as your pastor???  I still hope you will stay with me! I am going to read you a list of people’s names now.
• Jim Smith Sally Strong Bill Bronson
• Carl Johnson Dave Cash Preston Jones
• Trish Hill Karen Crenshaw Trina Wheeler
• Tammy Zink

Now, take a minute and think/write as many names as you can recall.
Who can name all 10? 5? 3?
How do you feel? Overwhelmed? Confused? Here’s the third point of today’s message. This is what the first time visitor feels like… and probably even more extreme! When one person or one family comes in, they we have only one or two names to remember. The visitor, on the other hand, has 18-20 names thrown at them. While we need to share our name with them, try to remember to offer your name additional times that day, or when they return. How long has it been since you were a first time visitor to this church? Too long to remember. Just now you are getting a little reminder of what they feel. So just keep that in mind as visitors come.

I have just one more exercise! Would you like to applaud now? Let me read something to you and see if you can understand what it says:
Actual Business Insurance Policy Wording:
Exclusions
This insurance does not apply to:
b. Contractual Liability
"Bodily injury" or "property damage" for which
the insured is obligated to pay damages by
reason of the assumption of liability in a contract
or agreement. This exclusion does not
apply to liability for damages:
Assumed in a contract or agreement that is
an "insured contract", provided the "bodily
injury" or "property damage" occurs subsequent
to the execution of the contract or
agreement. Solely for the purposes of liability
assumed in an "insured contract",
reasonable attorney fees and necessary
litigation expenses incurred by or for a
party other than an insured are deemed to
be damages because of "bodily injury" or
"property damage", provided:
(a) Liability to such party for, or for the cost
of, that party's defense has also been
assumed in the same "insured contract";
and
(b) Such attorney fees and litigation expenses
are for defense of that party
against a civil or alternative dispute
resolution proceeding in which damages
to which this insurance applies are alleged.

Okay, let me ask… did anyone understand what I just read? Of course not! This is insurance-talk. It did make sense to me, because I have been speaking that language for about 30 years. I would have been surprised if you did understand. How many people hear understand insurance policies? How many have ever read their own insurance policy?

How do you feel? Lost? Confused? Does it all sound Greek to you? Here’s the fourth, and last, point of today’s message. This is what the first time visitor feels like… and probably even more extreme! They may have never been in a church before. They may never have read a Bible before. So when speak in Christian-talk or Bible-talk, they may feel lost and confused and like they just got off a plane in a foreign country.
What is church-language? Stuff like: saved, born again, the Trinity, the Rapture, The Word, “this is my body, eat of it” and “this is my blood, drink of it” from the Last Supper, “love your enemy”, etc.
So last time… How long has it been since you were a first time visitor to this church? Too long to remember. Just now you are getting a little reminder of what they feel. So just keep that in mind as visitors come.

Notice the sign on the bulletin board outside the church. It says “Welcome”. I hope today’s sermonar will help all of us to be sensitive to the visitor, to the guest, that the Lord sends our way. If we are going to pray for the unchurched and unsaved Kennard Community, AND we are believing God to answer our prayers, then we should be expect the visitor to come.

If you feel more prepared to welcome them, say AMEN!