“Whoever welcomes you welcomes me. And whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward. And whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of a righteous person. And whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of those little ones in the name of a disciple, truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward.” — Matthew 10:40-42

It happened like this: I was spending the day at a music festival in Piedmont Park in Midtown Atlanta, grabbing Mexican food with two of my only friends in the city, David and Rick. It was October 2023, and I had just flown back from the ELCA headquarters for training in church planting.

We were about to launch The Collective’s worship services in six weeks, and eventually, my friends asked, “Hey, would it be okay if we came to your first worship service?”

I said, “Oh, yeah, absolutely.”

Then, one of them admitted, “We weren’t sure if it’d be weird since we’re your friends. Maybe you wanted a hard boundary on that.”

I’m not going to lie—I was incredibly surprised. I tried to only talk about my church when people explicitly asked because I didn’t want to become the pushy pastor whose friendship came with strings attached. I simply assumed that anyone I met outside of a religious context wouldn’t be interested in learning more about our church.

We all do this. We look at our social networks and think, They don’t want to do this weird church thing. That’s for us, not for them. Often, we let our own insecurities prevent us from sharing the good news of the living God with people who could truly use God’s work in their lives.

Instead of offering a welcoming invitation, we get in our heads: Will they be offended? They know I go to church, so if they want to come, they’ll just ask.

But is it actually obvious that people are welcome at church? I don’t think so. How will anyone know they are welcome unless you invite them?

The 82% Reality

One study in church growth found an incredible statistic: 82% of people who do not go to church would be willing to go if someone in their lives simply asked them. That number is a testament to the influence we have over the people in our social networks. Lutherans historically haven’t always been great at the active invitation. We used to joke, “Maybe if we just get a bigger sign, people will see it and the Holy Spirit will bring them in.”

But the truth is, invitation is a mark of spiritual maturity. It demonstrates that your faith is not just an intellectual endeavor; it is something you are living out in your day-to-day life. In the words of Isaiah, we get to be messengers who bring good news, announcing peace and salvation to our neighbors.

Responding to Divine Need

In Matthew 10, Jesus tells the disciples, “Whoever welcomes me, welcomes you. And whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” When we welcome someone into our community, we’re welcoming Jesus. We learn that when we respond to a human need—a need for connection, community, or belonging—we are responding to a divine need.

When you see people in your life who are desperate for hope, you should see them as the living Christ and invite them into your midst. Witnessing starts with a relationship. Here is what an everyday invitation to LCR might look like:

Social Events: “I know you’ve been looking to make connections in the area. Our church hosts a ‘Bring Your Own Bingo’ night. I’d love for you to come, and I can introduce you to my friends.”

Service Projects: “I attend a church with an incredible garden where we grow food for the community. I’m going down today to help harvest. Do you want to come make an impact with me?”

Spiritual Practices: “Our church has been exploring alternative spiritual practices, like Sunday evening sound baths. Last time I went, I felt so rejuvenated and ready to start my week. Would you like to come with me next time?”

When you make that invitation, you never know where it might lead. Or whose life it might transform.

 

A Story of Transformation: LeAnn Haack

To understand the true impact of an invitation and a welcoming community, long-time member LeAnn Haack recently shared her story of finding a home at LCR.

“I grew up in the Congregational United Church of Christ in Iowa. I attended Sunday school, played the organ, and sang in the choir. But after college, I drifted away. For me, church was something you did with your family, and since my husband wasn’t a churchgoer, going by myself felt odd. Work and childcare eventually took over.

I didn’t return to church until I hit a crossroads. In my 30s, my husband filed for divorce. It wasn’t something I had planned for, and as someone who doesn’t like to fail at anything, I felt broken and lost. I realized I needed to go back to church.

I knew about LCR because I had friends who went here—the Glasses, the Welkers, and the Bodas—and I knew it would be a safe place. Even so, showing up by myself felt awkward. I still had it in my head that church was for traditional families.

What turned it around for me happened after a service when Alan and Karen Boda came up and gave me some incredibly strong words of encouragement. They knew I was going through a divorce, though I hadn’t told many people. They made me feel seen, understood, and accepted. Because they took that extra step, I knew LCR was the place for me.

Eventually, I found a divorced moms group here. Those amazing women shared their wisdom, humor, and experiences, showing me I was not alone and that faith in God would carry me forward.

For years, I was content to stay on the edges as a quiet member. But when I retired, I got involved in Appreciative Inquiry, reading anonymous interviews from our congregation. I was blown away by the passion people had for LCR and the future they saw for it. That emboldened me to step out of my comfort zone and accept a nomination for the church council.

My advice? Embrace the change. Step out of your comfort zone. The rewards, the relationships, and the deepened faith I’ve gained have been amazing.”

 

A Church of Resurrection

LeAnn is not alone. There are so many people sitting in our pews who have experienced profound transformation because of the people they met at this church.

I know LCR is going through a season of transition right now. You’ve lost a pastor, budgets fluctuate, and you’ve seen shifts in your community. But please, do not forget this: The Lutheran Church of the Resurrection is a place of transformation. It is a church where real people encounter the living Christ and find beloved community. And by God, you are not done yet.

How will the community know you are doing transformative work unless you go out and share your stories? We cannot just be consumers of faith who attend on Sunday mornings. In the physical absence of Jesus from this earth, we are the church. We have been set apart to be witnesses.

You have an incredible staff. You have resources. You are not a dying church; you are a church with a destiny. Your very name is Resurrection. Your story is not about decline; it is about raising people up to experience new life.

God has gifted you with the Holy Spirit to go out, make disciples, and share good news. You have exactly what you need. You are the people you’ve been waiting for.

So get out of the pews and tell the story. Spread the message that there is a God—and a community right here in East Cobb County—that loves and adores people exactly as they are. Think about your neighbors, your friends, and your coworkers. Invite them into this community, and may God empower you to do far more than you ever thought possible.