By Andrew Mason
I was working hard at my desk earlier this week when I heard one of my small group members walk into the main church office and ask whether I was in. Those moments always increase my heart rate because I don”t want to ignore people, but I”m always afraid of being derailed for 45 minutes or so when I”m already running out of time to get my work done for the day. I erred on the side of friendliness (plus my door was open and he could see me sitting there).
He walked in and handed me something in a plastic bag and said, “I just bought this for you and wanted to drop it off. The first ones I bought I took over to your house today, but they were the wrong kind. Hopefully these are the right ones. God bless!”
Within seconds he was gone. Not only did my heart rate return to normal, but I opened the bag to find two new lightbulbs. I couldn”t help but laugh. This gift was given in reference to an ongoing joke within my small group.
We”ve had two small group meetings at my house so far this year. Our small group starts at 6 p.m., and it”s already dark out when people arrive. For months the front porch lightbulbs have been out, and I have procrastinated about replacing them. My small group members arrive on my porch and knock on the door in darkness, and two hours later they leave in darkness. At the first meeting I apologized for the lack of porch lighting, but promised everyone I would take care of it before the next meeting.
Fail . . .
Why do I share this story? I train all of my small group leaders on the importance of having a welcoming atmosphere. I am no hypocrite either, at least with regard to my training curriculum. My wife and I clean our house, put snacks out, play some upbeat Christian music, and we”re ready 15 minutes before our advertised starting time. However, I have no porch light!
My friend who bought me the new bulbs wasn”t doing it in criticism or in a condescending manner. He was laughing with me on our dark porch at our last small group meeting, and he was laughing the moment he gave me the “perfect gift for a small group leader.” Despite all the good fun, it did stand out to me and got me thinking.
It”s vital to be prayed up, prepped up, have a core leadership team, and a heart full of love, but first impressions still stick with people! I”m glad to know that at our next small group meeting, our porch will welcome returning members and first-time guests with light instead of darkness.
How do you make people feel welcome when they arrive for your small group? What kind of first impression are you making at your meeting location? What can you do to improve your atmosphere and raise the level of initial hospitality? Is there someone in your group who could help you be more successful in this dynamic? How?
“Be hospitable to one another without grumbling” (1 Peter 4:9, New King James Version).
Andrew Mason is the lead associate pastor of Thrive Church in Elk Grove, California. He oversees small groups, discipleship ministries, and pastoral staff. He is founder of SmallGroupChurches.com, an online community of leaders dedicated to growing churches one small group at a time.
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