Our First Sunday Morning
(Portions of these blog posts are written as a diary entry, so they read as though it’s the day of the event.)
Today is our first Sunday as a married couple. Yesterday we made vows to each other and asked God to recognize them, so it seemed fitting that we spend our first Sunday in church. We don’t know anyone in the community we are spending our honeymoon in, but we saw a nice Baptist church up the road and thought we would visit. Upon arrival we saw that the parking lot was full, which we took to be a good sign. The door opened directly into the back of the sanctuary. When we got inside, we couldn’t find any available seats. Although nearly everyone turned around to stare at us for the nearly five minutes we stood there, no one offered us a place to sit down. I’ve been going to church my entire life, but this was a first. Embarrassed, my new wife and I finally walked back to our car. A man met us when we were more than halfway back to our vehicle and said, “Y’all are welcome to come to church!” “No thanks.”, we replied. “We’re gonna just find somewhere else.” I’m not sure if this was the right decision or not, but we couldn’t bring ourselves to go back inside.
Driving up the road, we noticed a little Open Bible church. There were only a handful of cars, and we decided at least they would probably have seats available. Everyone there had gray hair, but they were genuinely happy for us to join them for worship. Feeling a great liberty and presence of the Spirit, we lifted our hands and worshipped God in Spirit and in truth. When service was ended, those precious people were looking at us a bit odd, but they thanked us for coming and wished us well in our life together.
Life Lesson: Every couple should establish spiritual patterns in their lives from the very beginning. Praying together and attending church together as a couple are foundational matters. Just because you may not receive the warm welcome you’re expecting in one church, that doesn’t mean you should quit or that church isn’t for you. Don’t become discouraged if you don’t feel entirely welcome in the first place you try. Allow God to lead you, and you’ll be amazed at the opportunities He provides for you to experience His presence.
Ministry Lesson: Visiting a new church can be intimidating, even for people who are not new to church. Go out of your way to make people feel welcome when they visit your home church. Offering a place to sit, showing a parent where to find the nursery, or helping someone locate the restroom may be bigger acts of hospitality than you realize. Also, never underestimate the value of shaking someone’s hand and introducing yourself. No one wants to feel excluded, especially in God’s house.
Church visiting tip: Evidently Open Bible churches are not accustomed to shouting and speaking in tongues. If you do, people may look at you funny. Who knew?