Our Need to Connect
I spend a lot of time in our local coffee shops...about 10 hours a week. There I find myself doing emails, writing blogs, reading, drinking coffee :) ... and visiting with pastors, friends, the locals and such. Why don't I do the normal "pastor thing" and go to the office? Truth be known...I don't even have an office. I go to these places because people connect at those coffee shops. Dress codes, a person's race or age seems not to matter. Virtually everyone feels welcome. Starbucks now boasts over 11,000 stores including one in Moscow. "How can be that successful," you ask? Starbucks knows the secret of creating an environment where people can connect. A few months ago my good friend Carl and I were riding our Harley's, (Ok - HIS Harley's), around Florida and we stopped at a dealership. Having never ridden a Harley Davidson or visited a dealership before, I was shocked at what I found. Harley was not just another motorcycle at another dealership. What I found was a community! I was welcomed as a friend and colleague. No one knew my name but they asked for it! Some were watching television together, others shopped, still others were playing a game of pool. Soft drinks and popcorn where free as where the hot dogs and hamburgers. We hit the grill as we were leaving. Conversations of business, road trips, and concerts were everywhere. COMMUNITY! I met attorneys, policeman, mortgage brokers, and preachers - all there for the same thing - community
So as my brain goes...i began to ask:
Are our homes are warm and inviting to first and foremost our family. Do the children love to see us/me/you come home or walk in the door? What are our offices like? Are we a “part of the problem" kind of person - getting into all the negative talk? Is our office or work station the place that people can find a smiling face and hear an encouraging word? Or do they dread when we are in the same meeting with them. I know that after years of selling I found that most customers are not looking for the best price. Rather they seemed to buy from me mainly because I was someone they were totally comfortable with.
Pastors - why do you think cult leaders are so effective? They build community. Let me ask you, do you have a controlling, religious church that only religious people can relate too or are you tearing down the walls that keep the outsiders out. No one is asking you to compromise anything - just be aware of the real needs of this society - they need to belong. There are so many different types of churches in our area. All seem, (rarely on purpose), to have a niche market they appeal to. We have one church that dresses casual while wearing t-shirts that brag, "these are my church clothes." My point being that even this attempt to be welcoming is actually isolating everyone that does not choose to dress casual.Consider carefully your life, your choice of words, and your marketing. Are you demonstrating a spirit of community and openness? I encourage you to make sure that we are allowing God to use us a catalyst to connect.
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