How to help visitors not feel like outsiders at church

Walking into any new environment can have you feeling like an outsider. A church is no different in this regard. There’s a new lingo, new culture, new rules and new people to get to know.

Everyone yearns for acceptance. It’s part of our makeup, how we were created. We need relationships to function. There is nothing negative about wanting to belong. God created us for relationship. When rejection comes from the church, the one place that all should feel welcomed and loved, it stings.

We’ve been called to reach out and share God’s love with all those we encounter, and that begins within our own walls. From the moment they drive onto our campus, we want visitors to know they are welcomed.

At Centerpoint, we are working to break down every barrier that keeps people from Jesus, and that includes a convenient parking spot, a friendly smile as they walk through the front door, an invitation to join us in worship and in community, dropping the insider language and speaking clearly in terms they understand. Visiting a new place can be overwhelming, and we seek to invite everyone and let them know they belong. If you’ve been coming to Centerpoint for a while now, you know we believe that our regulars need to get uncomfortable to make space for others. If you don’t remember, watch our series Uncomfortable and then give up your chair, your parking spot and even your cup of coffee to welcome in the stranger. Let them know they belong!

At Centerpoint, we don’t shy away from the hard questions. No matter where you are in your faith journey, you are welcome to join us! Atheist, agnostic or Jesus-follower, there is a seat for you at our table.