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Dear Pastors...........

Dear Pastors and Church Leaders:

I have been a PK (Preacher's kid) since I was born.  Spending all of Sunday's in a church when I was a kid was not uncommon.  I was unfairly judged many times because I was the Preacher's Kid (or grandkid).  I was a part of every aspect of ministry from watching my dad preparing sermons, to dad and grandpa getting late night calls that took them away from the house, to going to thousands (you think I'm exaggerating!) of potlucks with an array of "interesting" foods!  Often, the church foyer was my playground.  I was always called on to answer the questions in Sunday School, not necessarily because I knew the answer, but they thought I SHOULD know the answer.

Although the microscope of being a PK was difficult at times, the experience is not one that I would want to exchange.  I learned to embrace it as I got older and finally learned that if I don't like something, do something; if no one else is doing it, you do it; change really does begin with me.....

So, why the description of childhood?  Because, growing up in a church, I've learned about taking care of a visitor.  In my dad's last church, we called them guests, someone to be treated with great care and respect and kindness.  He put me in charge of creating a follow-up plan to contact each person that entered the church, send them a personal note and check up on them for a few weeks afterwards.  When I was a Junior High youth leader, I was also the one to follow-up on our new guests, as well as the other girls in the group.  Each one received a call every week or two.  Why?  Because people need to know they are loved and important.

All of this "letter" comes on the tails of trying out a bunch of new churches in the past 2 years.  Out of the all of the churches we visited and filled out comment cards at, 2 have sent a follow-up letter.  Two.  One of them was signed by the pastor. 

A "guest" or visitor, whatever term you prefer, needs to be reeled in.  The Lord called us to be "Fishers of Men", not "Send Notes to Men and Hope They Show Up Later".  A fisherman does not sit in his boat and call to the fish to come on in the boat!  If it worked that way, the fishing industry would be booming! :)  The same way with churches.  You can not expect a guest to continue to wander into your fishing net if you do not give them a reason to stay. 

The newest church we have visited is one that we're enjoying and have experienced only a few blips with, but we plan on trying it out for the time being....yet, we have not been "reached out" to so far.  I'm not asking for a babysitter (unless you're free this Friday to care for the 2 toddlers that live me so we can have a break! ;).  I realize that you get out of something what you put into it.

But, you see, non-Christians do not always see it that way as far as church goes.  And, that is the sad reality as to why churches are not growing and/or staying with the same old aging population of members.

Please, Pastors and Church Leaders, take note!  Call someone!  Invite them back!  Give them a reason to come back!  Guests often aren't looking for preaching, religion, or even God, sometimes.  Often, they're looking for someone to take interest in their life.  If you take time out of the business of religion, you'll see the business of love the Lord has asked us to engage in.

Sincerely a PK that's seen a lot,

Vickie

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