Welcomed Visitors!

"Do not leave us..." Numbers 10:31

Welcomed Visitors!
By Rev. William Dohle

The world is changing!  All around us!

It use to be true that a couple or family would visit your church for awhile.  Then, after one or two visits, you, as the pastor, would approach them about joining the church.  They would ask what was involved and you might detail some program that you were starting that fall for them.

Or you'd advertize such a program in your bulletin on Sunday and then, miracle of miracles, people would show up.  Real, live visitors wanting to join and become members of your church.

That day, I believe, is at an end.  Or at least I'm seeing the end of it.

A few years ago I set out to follow "the pattern" and bring some regular visitors into the fold.  I organized a "Get to Know St. Paul" day between services and invited our visitors to join.  To one I handed out a membership form(because she'd been visiting every single Sunday for months).  To the others I just said come!

At that meeting I had not a single regular visitor show up.  More than that, the regular visitors that I had invited all stopped visiting our church.  Every single one of them!

Now, it might just be me.  Granted, I'm not the best at inviting people to things.  But given the fact that we now have three regular visiting families at our church right now... and they've all been given lots and lots of chances to join but they're still visitors... I'm not sure how far off I am.

Life is changing.  Or maybe... life is changing back!

Communities of faith have always incorporated outsiders and visitors.  Welcomed them in fact!  In the Torah, the first five books of the Bible, there are countless examples of God commanding the Israelites to welcome the stranger and the foreigner and the visitor in their midst.  Those that don't "belong" to the community are still welcome in the community.

Take this example from Numbers.  As the company of Israel were setting out into the wilderness, destination The Promised Land, they had a "regular visitor" among them.  His name was Hobab, son of Reuel the Midianite.  He was Moses' father-in-law.  He had camped out with the people now for sometime, after reuniting Moses with his wife and children.

Now, as the people of Israel were breaking camp, he figured it was time to leave.  He didn't "belong" to the community.  So, now was as good of time as any to high tail it out of there.

Only Moses would have none of that.

"Do not leave us, for you know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you will serve as eyes for us.  Moreover, if you go with us, whatever good the Lord does for us, the same we will do for you."(Num. 10:31-32)

Do not leave...why?  Why would Moses beg his family to stay after his father-in-law admitted not being a part of their group?  Because his father-in-law, a visitor to the community, knows something that the community does not.  Hobab has gifts that the community needs.  Moses knows this.  Moreover, the community itself will bless Hobab and share with him everything that God does for them.  Hobab too will be better for staying.

Notice Moses doesn't start the conversion process.  He doesn't try to make Hobab like Aaron.  He doesn't give him membership papers to sign.  Instead, Moses welcomes him JUST AS HE IS...knowing that their relationship is a mutual one.  Knowing that both the Israelites and Hobab will be blessed by the other's presence.

Maybe we need to remember this too...especially with our "regular visitors."  They possess gifts that we do not.  They have eyes that see into the wilderness.  They can help us understand what people are looking for in a church and what they crave in their souls.  They can help guide us along the way.  They needn't be incorporated into membership.  They are a blessing just as they are.

If they want to join...fine!  If not...that's okay too.  They can still be an active part of our congregation.

Instead of categorizing people on whether they are members or not, maybe we need another group, one filled with people that serve as our eyes in the wilderness of this world.  Maybe we need a "Regular visitor" category to help us see how invaluable they are, just as they are.

Moses didn't require his father-in-law to join Israel.  Moses saw God in his presence with them.  Can we do the same?  Why should we "require" them to join our assembly either?

God, in our need to divide the world we shut some out because they don't want to belong.  Help us to include and embrace those in our community and outside.  Amen.