Featured Meet & Greet

We will never stop the greeting time. It is invaluable.

 

The meet-and-greet time is a complete waste of time you are correct. It should be done away with

 

We had a "meet and greet" for about 20 years. Over time it got more and more raucous and a lot of people really hated it. About a year ago we got a new pastor and he decided not to have it. I don't know why he did but our service is a lot more dignified and spiritually meaningful. If I were seeking a new church the meet and greet would be an absolute deal killer.

 

Agree. If the people are genuinely friendly by nature and not being forced in to it, it can be beneficial.

 

What is puzzling to me is how someone can disagree with whether or not the greeting time is invaluable in our church. Especially in light of the fact they have never been there. Just one more example of the abuse of these ratings.

 

We are so small we know who the visitors are. I station myself at the front doors and greet everyone as they come in, and remain there until about 5 minutes before service time. My wife and others walk around greeting folks before we begin. Then as we exist I am back at the front door shacking hands as folks leave

 

Years ago, Mrs. Rolfe and I went to a similar Church. The attitude there toward others was one of the best that I have ever seen in a group of Our Lord's people. Their light was brightly shining.

 

Soon after moving to our present area and while we were searching for a church home, Wifey and I visited one that outwardly looked perfect for us. We visited the place for a bit over one month. Coldest, unfriendliest group of Baptists that we have encountered. Like the "greet the visitors" time was enforced by whip. They are still in existence, but their reputation is not a good one.

 

[QUOTE="Salty, post: 2221661, member: 5656"I started to visit area churches incognito - and over 50 churches I attended - only 5 passed shows "Friendly Church Program". BTW - all 5 passing churches were liberal.[/QUOTE]
I have found this to be true with a much smaller sample size. There are certainly some exceptions - I can think of one liberal Baptist church in town that was quite cold toward me as a visitor - but I suspect it is a theological influence as well as a sociological influence. "Liberal" churches in American culture tend to be more oriented toward practical and personal issues in the community around the congregation, while many "conservative" churches tend to react against any hint of a "social gospel" and strive for theological purity above any human need.

Both sides have positives and negatives to their theology, and while I skew toward the theologically conservative side of things, I usually enjoy the company of more liberal Christians (at least the ones who are not on a short-sighted crusade of political correctness) over more fundamental Christians because of their ability to interact more forthrightly with me.

In regard to the size of a congregation, I have found no correlation between size and honest friendliness. I have visited small churches with barely an acknowledgment that I was there - that is, no one tried to sit where I was sitting because I was taking up space.

 

We were standing/singing in a new church. Suddenly a serious nudge in the arm and some one said, "Quick, what's your name, I gotta introduce you.

Greeting times are a waste of time to the greeted most of the time. We have visited many churches and they never lead to anything except hand shakes and greetings. Sit down and all is forgotten it seems.