Associate

Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind but associate with the lowly.  Do not be wise in your own estimation. 

Romans 12:16

A few years ago, my husband and I were looking for a church to attend.  At several of the churches we visited, we were invisible.  No one came up and introduced themselves, no one asked us to stay for coffee and cookies after church and no one called us to say they hoped we would come back again.  We were not one time visitors, but several week visitors, all with no response.  We signed the attendance list in the pew and we gave our offering in a check, yet we were invisible. 

Why did no one respond? 

I think perhaps because the regular attenders had a club mentality, that is they viewed the church as a club for members, and they were members and we were not.  Although we enjoyed the worship services, after a few weeks, we went somewhere else. 

The church is not a club; it is an association of real people with real needs. 

Let’s try to be a little friendlier.