A "Warm" Welcome

If you've ever watched "The Nanny," you might remember the episode when Fran gets married and Mr. Scheffield's sister talks to her before the ceremony. "I'd like to give you a warm welcome into the family," says she. Then, barely touching Fran's shoulder with the tip of her fingers and with the fakest smile on her face she says "Welcome." And Walks away. The feelings of "warmth" from a greeting like this often fill me when I am around people from Church. And no wonder. A couple recent episodes in my life just showed me once again how close-minded some Christians can be.

A man introduced himself after the service yesterday. He asked whom I was texting the entire time. I gladly let him know that it was my friend, and that the friend will be joining me now for the 7:15 service. It's the same friend that I wrote about before -- the one who pronounced themselves to be an atheist. So in a few words I shared the story and my excitement. The words that came out of the guys' mouth next just made me wonder. "Wow, that is really encouraging to hear. I guess like Pastor Mark was saying, if anyone pronounced that to me, I would've just thrown them away and considered them a waste of time. But God doesn't. And it's really impressive that you still befriended that person and cultivated a relationship with them and didn't give up."

Rewind to about three weeks ago to a conversation between people from different churches in a cafe. One of the girls emotionally argued that Mars Hill is an bad place because none-Christians feel comfortable coming there. And why the heck would we want so many of them to come?

The friend, who happens to be Hispanic, pointed out to me after church that there was only one person "darker than them" at church. I've never realized that before, but it says something about a church, and quite frankly, it's very disappointing to me. I'm at a place in my life right now where I am close friends with people of all kinds of different origin. If before racism and intolerance, especially in Russian churches, only bothered me as a concept, now it's personal. My closest friends now are from all over the world. Israel, Mexico, Colombia, Guatemala, Philippines, and of course U.S. and Russia. A lot of them are the ones whose prayers get me through each weeks. But a lot of them aren't Christians (yet.) And I'd love it if every single one of them found Jesus Christ as their personal Savior! After myriads of heart-to-hearts and long-time conversations though, if I bring them to church and the welcome that they feel en masse is the one I described in the first paragraph... Well that just undoes all the love of Jesus Christ that any singular kind soul might have ever shown them.

Anyways. I wouldn't say that I'm too surprised at this attitude. But I guess I'm a little surprised that I found it in Mars Hill. I wonder if the man who I talked to would be inspired to befriend an unbeliever now. And then throw them away after they don't immediately repent when he brings them to church. I wish churches were more tolerant. Not towards sin. But towards sinners, viewing them as God views them -- as His children. The ones whom it will grieve Him deeply to judge at the end because He is first and foremost their Father! And only after that the Judge. Think about this.