Time for Reflection: 'Why Churches are Unfriendly and Cliquish'



By Joe McKeever - Posted at Crosswalk.com:

“When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not do him wrong. The stranger who resides with you shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were aliens in the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God” (Leviticus 19:33-34).

I stood before the congregation holding two letters in my hands. “Both came to my office this week. I thought you’d like to hear what they say.”

“The first letter is from a member who moved several hundred miles away last year. She is missing this church. She wrote, ‘The churches here are not friendly like our church back home. No one speaks to visitors. I miss our loving, friendly congregation.”

I said, “Do we have a friendly church?” Heads nodded all over the building.

“Well, then, listen to this.”

“Dear pastor. We visited your church last Sunday and not a single person spoke to us. You have a most unfriendly congregation. We will not be back.”

The people sat there in shock. This was far from what they had believed about themselves.

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