Welcoming-Others-As-Christ-Welcomes-Us.pdf

Jesus told us in John 14, “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may also be.”

Christ offers two amazing promises here that I hope will provoke a reaction in you.

The first amazing promise is the destination. The hope of heaven is not merely the end of pain and suffering and death. It is not merely the wiping away of every tear and wiping out of every enemy. Those gains will be slight when compared to our great gain—God himself. After telling his disciples about his Father’s house and its many rooms, Jesus reveals where he will take them in the end: “I will come again and take you to myself.” Jesus himself is the destination. He is now and will forever be our portion.

The second amazing promise is the preparation. Jesus says, “I go to prepare a place for you.” The disciples had no idea what kind of prep work Jesus was about to do. “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus’ answer is stunning: “I am the way.” So what was the nature of the preparation that Jesus did for us? Galatians 3:13 tells it plainly, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” The Son of God, now a curse. Close your mouth and fall on your face. There is no other reaction to be had. This was the price that was paid for your entry into his Father’s house. This is the welcome that Christ offers us.

At Bethlehem, how should we think about the way we welcome one another in light of the great preparation that Christ made for us on the cross? Romans 15:5–7 says, “May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you.”

This is the work of the Welcome Ministry. It is not merely holding doors open and shaking hands, but helping each person who comes through our doors find authentic relationships of love. It is bringing all who would come to our “house” into fellowship with us, so that they might be in

fellowship with God himself. We welcome others as Christ welcomes us so that with one voice we might glorify God together.

At the Downtown Campus, Mike Tong, Pastoral Resident for Neighborhood Outreach, has created a new vision for welcoming our weekend service attendees. Our vision is to boldly display the welcoming love of Christ to everyone who walks through our doors each and every weekend.

A complementary Guest Services/Emergency Response Ministry, under the direction of Brad Arthur, Church Properties Director, will focus on providing information and assistance to our weekday visitors and to coordinate various security and emergency response activities.

A Welcome Desk is being planned for the Downtown Commons, just inside the main door from the parking lot. Our goal is to have this area staffed on weekdays with Guest Services volunteers and during weekend services with the Welcome Team. This entrance will then become the main entrance for all persons entering the building (with the current Weekday Entrance being used primarily for staff and students).

One other change you will notice is the conversion of the Visitor Reception room into the Guest Services office, located behind the new Welcome Desk. This room will be staffed during services and large events with volunteers who will be able to provide “first responder” assistance and leadership in the event of an emergency, such as fire, severe weather, or a medical emergency.

To further enhance safety and security measures, a surveillance camera system is being installed at both the Downtown and North campuses. (While this Guest Services office is being implemented initially at the Downtown Campus, it is envisioned that it will serve as a prototype for similar systems at the other existing and future campuses.)

We would love your participation as a Guest Services volunteer or as a member the Welcome Team. If God is leading you to get involved in one of these new ministries, please contact Brad Arthur (651-455-3477) or Mike Tong (612-234-1234) for more information.

Welcoming others as Christ welcomes us,

Mike Tong and Brad Arthur