A new family walks through the doors of your church for the very first time.
One thing they are looking for is someone who looks like them.
Are there other families that seem to be in the same stage of life as they are?
Are there any people of their ethnicity?
Families with young children?
Families with elementary age children?
Families with teens?
Grandparents?
If they walk in and don't see themselves represented in the church, chances are they may feel uncomfortable and probably won't return for a second visit.
Churches that are growing are diverse churches. Churches that are growing have all generations represented in their congregation.
That's the way it will be in heaven. Look what Revelation 7:9 says.
After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and
tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and
before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches
in their hands.
When your church encompasses people from different nations and tribes and people and languages, you are bringing a little bit of heaven to the earth. And that's a great thing. Imagine if only one ethnic group was represented in heaven? That would be boring.
I believe the same thing could be said about churches today. Churches that only reflect one ethnicity are boring for the most part.
It's time we reach out to all the people around us. The Gospel crosses every nationality. The Gospel is for everyone. No matter your background. The Gospel is for both Jews and Gentiles.
So...take a look at your church. What is the reflection that new families see? Do they see themselves represented?
The bigger picture is this - people want to be able to connect with others that are in their same stage of life as they are. Can they find this looking at your church?
I can promise you this - if a young family with small children walks in your church and only sees older people, they will most likely not return.
And this will eventually cause the church to fade away and close their doors. Why? Because the children found no one they could relate to.
Can guests see themselves at your church?
