As our Guest Sunday approaches we want to position ourselves to serve our guests effectively, “…making the best use of the time.” (Col 4:5). We want our guests to experience the grace of Jesus Christ when they are with us. We want them to hear the gospel and experience the gospel. We want them to be surprised by the grace of God in the people they meet and the words they hear. We want them to feel welcomed so that their hearts are open wide to hear and receive the truth.

So here’s 7 ways we can all serve and make the most of the opportunity…

1. Come with your friends on Sunday.
If you’ve invited someone and they’ve expressed interest, try and arrnage to pick them up and come together. It’s a great way to help them settle in. People are often put off by going in to strange places by themselves, so be alongside them if you can.

2. Wait for your guests in the lobby area.
If you can’t arrive together, make sure you get there early to save seats and then wait in the lobby area to meet your friends, os you can be there to show them around and point them in the right direction.

3. Think of yourself as part of the greeting team.
Guests can find it frightening and overwhelming to enter a new building, especially one that hosts a church. Arrive early (after all, now there’s coffee/donuts to take advantage of!). Be ready to greet folks. A warm smile, a nice greeting, and a helpful posture goes a long way in making our guests feel welcome. (Please make sure your kids don’t scar off the guests, by playing around/being loud, encourage them to greet/serve alongside you.)

4. Introduce your guests to other Grace Church people.
Introduce them t people they might know, or people in your homegroup, or people in your row, or one of the pastors. This is a great way you can help them feel welcomed and not some much of an outsider.

5. Help them in anyway you can!
Help them drop their kids off (if they have any) at Sunday school. Show them where the loo is. Help them get a coffee and donut. Do it willingly, joyfully and sacrificially!

6. Borrow a Bible from the “Info Point”
Most guests will probably not have a bible with them. Make sure you get them a bible from our new “Info Point”. Position them to beneft form the preaching that morning.

7. Move to your seats early and prepare to worship God.
Our example here is going to help our guests get seated and ready to worship God. Your initiative will also make it easier for our guests to find a place to sit. Fill up the rows from the front first please! If you see someone on their own offer to sit with them, even if it means you have to move to sit next to them.

This coming Sunday (12th October 2008) is our first “Reason for God” Guest Sunday, designed for us to invite our friends to church so that they might hear the gospel as we tackle issues and questions that nag them. This week, we’re attempting to answer the question: “There can’t just be one true religion, can there?”

In a recent book I was reading, the author claims that 82% percent of unchurched people are “somewhat likely” to attend church if they are invited. Now we know (according to the old Guinness TV ad) that 81% (or was it 59%) of statistics are made up on the spot, but nevertheless, if this stat is true, then it should encourage us to ask our friends to come on Sunday.

If we just ask them, how could they respond? “I’d love to!”, “Sure!”, “Maybe?”, “Not this time, thanks.” or “No!” What is the real risk here? What are we afraid of? They probably wont punch you, yell or call the police, or the men in white coats to whisk you away. They might avoid us, but Jesus tells us not to be surprised that people hate us for His name’s sake (Matt 5:11 & Mark 13:13).

This hatred shouldn’t be because you’ve been offensive in how you’ve approached or related to them, but rather, because of the offense of the gospel.

The real risk in not asking people to come on Sunday, is that we might miss those who were “somewhat likely” to attend and they don’t get a chance to hear the life-changing truth and reality of the gospel. Let’s take the plunge this week. Pray for opportunities, for open doors for the gospel (Colossians 4:2-6) and be ready to seize those opportunities to share the gospel and invite them on Sunday.

After all, they get a free lunch too!

Hear Tedd Tripp speak about his 2 books: “Shepherding a Child’s Heart” and “Instructing a Child’s Heart“, and hear previous seminar attendees talk of their experiences, by watching new video content at www.TeddTripp.org

While you’re there go ahead and register for the parenting conference next March!