Call me biased but I am convinced I serve on the most amazing team in church. Currently I have the privilege of helping look after any new people who come to our church, of which there just seems to be more and more of, and I also have the honour of praying and supporting those who respond the the salvation call, which is included in every service that we do.
On Sunday gone I shared a few reflections with our team that I had been thinking through following my extended hospital stay in recent weeks. Is might be helpful for you too.
In Mark 2:17 Jesus himself draws parallels between the work he came to do and the medical profession. He said: "healthy people don't need a doctor, sick people do. I have come not to call those who think they are righteous but those who know they are sinners."
I know for us we don't 'do church' exclusively for those already made whole, but we seek to create a place where those who need Jesus can find him. My pastor, Jon Cook, recently encouraged us to come to church with fresh eyes, to think through what it would be like for someone who is brand new to NCLC, or even brand new to church at all.
So here are my hospital / church musings.
1) what's going to happen?
Having just moved to a new area I had never been to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead before. I have been a guest of other hospitals but this was a brand new experience for me. I wasn't familiar with the building, the admissions process, the protocol, and I had no idea how long I would be there for. A lot of people, who I presumed worked there because they were wearing uniforms, dashed back and forth, busy with their jobs, but there was nobody to reassure me that a doctor would come, or pain relief is on it's way, or even where the toilets were.
It struck me that in the busyness of church life, particularly on Sundays, maybe our guests and visitors could potentially have a similar experience.
Are we helping people navigate a building or venue so they feel 'at home'? Are we taking the time out of our tasks to introduce ourselves to people unfamiliar with what our coloured t-shirts mean? Are we attentive enough to pick up when someone needs reassurance or a friendly smile as they embark on a whole new season in their life? Are we communicating to all people, new or long-standing members that they are important enough to have our full attention and that help for their circumstance is on the way?
2) what does that mean?
So there I am, in pain, feeling really unwell and the results of a scan come back revealing that I need emergency surgery. Words that end in 'ectomy' are banded around, sentences that include High Dependency are said and truthfully I was none the wiser until my lovely surgeon saw the look of panic on my face, sat down and talked me through what was happening, in plain English. ( no comment about me being Scottish or my accent please )
Now I know that the language we use, certainly in our church, is something we work really hard to be intentional about. We try to avoid the Christianese that becomes second nature really quickly. But have you ever thought through the words you use or the explanations you offer?
I remember once having a conversation with a lady who responded, by putting her hand in the air, during the altar call (altar call - what does that even mean?). I said to her afterwards when we met to pray and for me to give her a bible, "so you made a decision?"
I was referring of course to her response but she looked at me blankly before saying, "I've made lots of decisions!"
And of course she is right. She decided to come to church, she decided whether to have tea or coffee, where to sit, to stand in the worship time, and to put her hand up at the end. What she really needed was for me to ask, "what made you respond in that way?" Or "that's so great you decided to respond to what pastor Jon said, do you have any questions I could help you with?" Not to use the language of 'our kingdom' with someone who is visiting there for the first time.
You don't need me to tell you that there are dozens of words that we use to explain our faith (redemption, salvation, sanctification, the rapture???, Pentecostal, charismatic, tithes, fellowship (genuinely thought that was a boat for men when I was in Sunday School) and commitment that people outside of the house won't know. I guess my challenge and encouragement is to go back through your own understanding of the gospel and frame it in such a way that you could explain it to a child. Not that all adults need to be patronised, but if you can't say it simply it's maybe that you don't understand it yourself.
3) who are these people?
If you've never been to a hospital let me introduce you to the multi-coloured, multi-titled wonder that is the medical workforce. Contrary to the respect code taught at primary school or by your grandparents, some doctors in hospital don't like the title and instead opt simply for Mr. There are some who you can simply call 'doctor' and some whose name you will never be told. There are doctors in various sets of surgical pyjamas (some blue, some red), doctors in white coats and some in whatever they like. There are teams of nurses; pink ones, blue ones, ones in dark blue and a workforce in black uniforms and some in white dresses and trousers. Oh, did I forget those in green bringing patients in from ambulances. Confusing isn't it?
At my lowest, and most ill, it was a concern to me to find out who was who. I wanted to know who was responsible for my care, and who it was appropriate to call on for help. I had a few awkward moments when I thought the scruffy man was a ward clerk when he turned out to be a senior consultant.
But in church life I think this is really important. I've been part of our church for years and years and I am still meeting new people and learning about families who have been there are long as I have. Now imagine you are new to church or new to your church. You know about 'church' from the telly, so you expect to see a vicar or some sort of priest wandering around. How will they know in our church, or your church, who that is?
Introductions and explanations are so important. Even if your pastor is busy - which they undoubtably will be - point them out and talk them up. Then think about the wider team. Is this new family aware that we have youth pastors or kids workers. Have we explained what the smiley people in blue t-shirts do? Have you introduced them to a connect group host?
I always feel more safe and secure in any environment, whether work, social or in church, when I feel like I know someone else in the room and know who I should speak to about whatever I need. I don't think I'm alone in that.
4) when's my next appointment
"See you at your appointment mrs Bruce," were the final words from my doctor on leaving hospital. Great, except, when is that?
Simply, we don't want to bombard people with information when we first meet but we do want to let them know not only that they are welcome back, but also that they have opportunities galore to continue meeting with God.
I remember when I got saved (more Christianese, sorry folks) - I thought you prayed the prayer and that was it. I didn't know you needed to come back. I mean, I knew people who did go every week, but I assumed it was because they had jobs to do or they worked there. The concept of worship and devoting myself to God, was unknown. It was my friend who talked me through getting to know God through his word, and that because I was new to this perhaps I would learn more by coming regularly, and that by coming regularly I would become part of community and I too could serve.
Are we assuming people know what's on, or what church is? Or we explaining and inviting and bringing?
To bring this to a close the truth is simply this, if I was to go back to that hospital, the place where I was helped back to physical wholeness, if would be more at home and more comfortable just by getting a handle on all of the above.
If we are to be co-workers with Christ, is seeing those without Christ become spiritually whole with Him, then we need to be people focused in everything we do too.
It's certainly a challenge for me.
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