Kwik Trip and Chick-Fil-A - What do these two have in common?
Culture. You want to return. And not just because gasoline and Christian chicken are “essential” to our lives (at least they both are in my opinion!), but because walking into these establishments makes us feel something. We go for gas and food, but we leave feeling valued, well served, and most of all, welcome and expected back. Every single time I visit the service station on the outskirts of my neighborhood, “See you next time” are the last words I hear. Why wouldn’t I go back? They’ve given me every reason to return - and I will. We always anticipate the response “my pleasure” from our friends at Chick-Fil-A when we share our thanks. These words are not empty. Rather, we believe them and we’ve come to expect them. These mantras are so much more than words. They are culture.
If a gas station and Christian food franchise can provide that kind of experience, how much more should we as the Church? We have the most essential message of all - Jesus!
What is our goal at Berean?
Here at Berean, I have the awesome privilege of leading our First Impressions teams, including the Parking Team, the Greeters, the Welcome Center Team, the Connect Wall Team, and the Ushers. Our collective mission is to make our first-time guests AND regular attendees feel expected, welcome, seen, and loved.
Our goal is simple: To communicate the love of Jesus with others from the moment they drive on campus to the moment they are in their seat for worship and all throughout their worship experience - not just by our presence, but by our smiles and our words.
What if we ALL focused on true hospitality?
Culture is all of us together. Sure, we’ve come to expect hospitality from those on the front lines who maybe have the gift of hospitality. But what would it look like if we ALL adopted a culture of hospitality? What if we all opened our eyes to those who pass by in the hallways on a Sunday morning or Wednesday night and took any and every opportunity to make someone feel seen and welcome? A simple, “Hi, I haven’t met you yet” can go a long way. We are a family after all, and the church is our home.
What if we ALL saw others through the lens of Jesus?
When we see the church as our home, there’s a renewed sense of ownership and responsibility and . . . opportunity. What would it look like to see through that lens? That is gospel hospitality and it was modeled by Jesus over and over again in the Bible. Hospitality means “the love of strangers.” We have all engaged in enough conversations on a weekend to recognize that we are surrounded by hurting people with stories, joys, and sorrows. Struggles and pain. The loss of a loved one. Checking a spouse into memory care. The loss of a job. It’s possible to be with people but still feel alone. That’s why it is vital for all of us to practice gospel hospitality. Those around us need hope. We don’t need to have the spiritual gift of hospitality to practice it. We don’t have to be an extrovert or a “people person.” It’s for and available to all of us.
First Peter 4:8-9 says:
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.
Together, let's create a culture of hospitality!
It doesn’t matter what time or what day I frequent my two favorite establishments. I am met with the same experience and message every single time.
At Berean, our mission is to see our lives, our community, and our world transformed by the power of the gospel. The gospel is our message every single time. Together, we can share hope and create a culture that makes people want to return!
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