God and You: The Outsider

Have you ever felt like an outsider at a church before? One of our own church members has felt like this recently. Read about it here.

Everything is new. Everything is strange. Your first instinct is to leave the building. It feels too hard to talk to anyone. You don't often get what is happening in the service. People speak in some kind of different language.

You think to yourself, if no-one talks to me soon I'm outta here and never coming back. God can't make that much difference to people if they're not nice to me.

Believe it or not that is how someone new to church feels when they first come to a service. Do you remember the first time you came to church? I do, even 'though it was nearly 15 years ago! Try going to a church when you are away from Mittagong on holidays - you'll quickly remember what it is like!

Paul talks about the outsider in 1 Corinthians 14:13-25. Even 'though it seems to be all about 'speaking in tongues' and 'prophecy', if you read between the lines Paul is really concerned for the outsider.

He says to the people in church who are speaking in tongues (a weird language no-one can understand),

"if some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?"

He wants people to speak normally! Paul says if people just speak normally to new people with words from God, that is really helpful to a newcomer and it shows them Christ in a powerful way.

Next time you see someone new at church welcome them, understand the nervousness and awkwardness they may be feeling, greet them lovingly, introduce them to your friends, and speak of God's goodness to them.

After all, that is why they have come!