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During our travels, we were going from one small quaint town to another. Along the way, we saw a big sign proclaiming all the benefits at stopping at a small town we had never known existed. I was interested in taking a peak at this special, nicely advertised town. However, when we went through the town — really, "went by the town" would be more accurate — not much was there. A few houses and a post office in the middle of nowhere was pretty much it.

On our return trip by this little town, I decided to pay a little more attention. A city limit sign said that the population was 111. I noticed a few more very small houses off the state highway. Bottom line, however, there wasn't anything much to advertise about this place. It was all hype! I was both a little bit amused and also a little bit frustrated by all the build up for pretty much nothing.

Over the last thirty years, I've come to appreciate that many of the folks who visit our churches feel much the same way: a lot of hype and not much substance.

As churches, we want folks to know about our strengths. We've even been schooled in the ways to market our best qualities and show what goods we offer to the religious consumers around us. Much of this is well intentioned. We have often used terms to describe what we hope we are becoming, more than describing the reality in which we find ourselves. (Terms like welcome, family, fellowship, support, comfort, and care abound, but are not really delivered consistently.) In some places where the hype "kinda" fits, unfortunately it often just fits the folks who have been in on the inside of the church for a long time. As many of us have come to learn from our own experience, the only thing worse than an unfriendly church is a friendly church that is not friendly to you — you go around wondering what is wrong with me.

People who share life together!

Now please let me clarify a couple of things before you get more than a little irritated with me. I'm not bashing churches — big, small, or in between. In addition, I'm not challenging us to start more comprehensive programs at our churches to close the gap on these personal touch issues with those in our community and those who visit our fellowships. What I am asking each of us to do, however, is to look at what we personally do when we assemble with other Christians!

• Do I seek out folks that I don't know so I can get to know them better and include them in my circle of friendships?
• Do I welcome guests and ask them into my circle in Bible class, small group, or with folks on "my pew"?
• Do I invite them to lunch with me or follow up on their visit personally?
• Do I check on folks who sit in my "pew neighborhood" on a regular basis to check on how they are doing in the "real world" ... or is my concern really only "foyer talk"?

The Great Awakening by Jim Wallis By helping a nation hungry for hope and positive political solutions, Wallis shows us that a revival is happening, as people of faith and moral conviction seek common ground for change.

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click here.

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