A pastoral hack is an action that gives significant benefit without great cost or risk. The benefit gained from the hack far outweighs any risk. in some instances, the hack is a shortcut to increasing your influence.
What's It Like to Be the Guest?
Have you visited a church and been uncomfortable because the way they did things was foreign to you? I’ve attended a few events at liturgical churches where every activity was unfamiliar. It was not pleasant.
I've also attended a few services where I was passing through town or the guest speaker and little direction was given. The guest was left to wander around a bit cluelessly.
Imagine having never attended church or your only experience with church being a place that was rather staid. Perhaps in your past experience, the only activity from the congregation was a bit of responsive reading or singing a few hymns.
Now, you visit a Pentecostal Church where it seems there is spontaneity on every side. Everything around you is nothing like your past experience with church.
Nothing about this is normal.
Knowledge Creates a Measure of Comfort
When we have newcomers, which is normal, my goal is to create a comfort zone. If guests seems uncomfortable with our enthusiastic praise I’ll slow down a bit and say, “Perhaps we have some among us who are not accustomed to this approach to praising Jesus. Let me take a moment and give some Biblical validation to what is going on around you. If the Bible suggests it, then surely is must be o.k.
The Bible says, “Clap your hands all ye people,” which prompts clapping from our members. At the same time the verse calling for such praise is on the screen. I’ll usually follow with, “Before anybody was clapping for the Kansas City Chiefs or Missouri State University Bears - people were clapping in praise to Almighty God.”
“Now you know our behavior is in the Bible. If this is in the Bible, it must be ok. You don’t have to praise him like anyone else. Nobody is going to make you. But if you’d like to join us you are welcome to do so.
The Bible does also say, “Let everything that hath breath praise ye the Lord.’ So if we have breath we should praise the Lord.”
The Gifts of the Spirit
I will often do the same when we experience the verbal gifts of the spirit - tongues accompanied by interpretation of tongues, and prophecy.
For a person unfamiliar with such activity, these interruptions seem bizarre. At an opportune moment, sometimes at the end of the service I'll explain what happened and will talk about the governance of tongues provided in 1 Corinthians. It is my practice to encourage people to ask me questions about the operation of the gifts of the spirit.
The Outcome
With the few seconds of explanation, suddenly people are much more comfortable. Guests begin to tentatively clap their hands. At times this below the back of the pew chair in front of them.
I've used this repetitively. Quite often for several weekends in succession. If you want to make newcomers comfortable try this.
It is easy for people to misunderstand or be confused at what is happening in church. It is not comfortable. People tend to not return to a church where they felt uncomfortable.
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