I’ve heard a lot of people talk about “parking lot ministry” recently. The idea is that the people who are in the parking lots are the first faces someone sees when they visit a church, the first impression. So, putting some smiling faces out there to help everyone get in and out of the parking lot can be the start to a very positive first experience for a new visitor. This has led to increased sightings of orange vest clad men and women in church parking lots across America.
I’m not opposed to this idea.
In fact, I agree completely with the sentiment that going to church should feel totally inviting from beginning to end for everyone in attendance (first time visitor, founding member, or otherwise), especially if something as easy as putting smiling people in the parking lot is part of the equation. It is an intrinsic part of our faith that everyone is welcome (and God took great pains to establish this idea; see Acts and the epistles).
So,
with that being said,
I call churches all day long,
and I go home feeling like garbage.
Churches aren’t fun to call all day. In fact, some of you guys are just straight up mean. And I’m a little puzzled over this. What’s the deal with being all smiles in the parking lot yet razor toothed on the phone?
And let me take this moment to say, while we don’t feel like what we’re doing is telemarketing, we know it looks kind of like telemarketing. It’s unfortunately just the best way to do what we do (and that’s even taking into account that on average it takes 6-8 phone calls just to get in touch with a minister at a church). Oh, and also, we know that some of you don’t need what we’re calling about, but neither one of us really knows that for sure until we at least take a minute and chat about what each others ministries are doing. But back to my point.
Telemarketers are people too.
If the ministry of the church is to communicate the love of Christ to all people, we can’t forget that people who call our churches… are people. And just like the people who drive into your parking lots are serving themselves up to be ministered to, the people who call your churches selling things are too. Every day you are given opportunities to share the love of Christ with someone without having to get out of your office chair. You should be pumped that people are allowing you access to them so freely (and that’s even without an expensive ad campaign).
We have to remember that ministry is happening with our every interaction, even when we’re not standing inside a church. It happens when you buy coffee from the guy at Starbuck’s. It happens when you call the customer service department at AT&T. It even happens when you get that 3rd call from the telemarketer trying to sell your church mops. Each and every time two people’s lives bump into each other, it’s an opportunity for the love of Christ to be preached.
Don’t worry, I’m doing it on my end too. You really mean people, I’m going to say thank you every time you yell at me (and I’m even praying for you when I hang up the phone).
