I judge other churches.
When I visit your church, I take note of whether you’ve got a bike rack, and whether it’s a good one, installed properly.
I pay attention to whether your doors open to the street or the parking lot.
Then I go in and it continues.
Granted, I’m usually there for a specific purpose, not trying to find a new worshipping community, so I don’t need you to say hi to me or greet me warmly. But I judge you if you don’t.
Did anyone give me a bulletin? Direct me to what I might need, be that a coat rack, the location of the sanctuary, a bathroom, etc.?
Let’s be honest, I’m usually late, so did anyone come up after the service to say hi, introduce themselves, welcome me?
It’s amazing how many failing marks most churches get.
The desire to leave that awkward space and not hang around waiting for no one to talk to me is a great reminder that when I’m at home in my own congregation, there is some urgency to going over to greet that new person before he or she leaves with the same judgements I leveled against the other churches I visited.
But we pass the bike rack test.
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