I wasn’t kidding…

…your presence really does matter. 

I’ve gotten a few e-mails this week from people talking about how much they enjoy the Experience and how much their lives are changing.  I wish I could take credit for that but the truth is it’s just a little bit of Gilbert and the team, a whole lot of God and then a special ingredient which I’ll talk about at the end of this post.

Let’s face it if you’re a non-Christian who wants to listen to contemporary music on Sunday morning, turn on the radio. If you’re a non-Christian who wants some humor on a Sunday morning, just TiVo SNL from the night before and watch it when you get up.  If you’re a non-Christian and want to watch a cool video on Sunday morning, rent something from Blockbuster.  In other words it’s hard to compete with the professionals but yet  more and more people keep showing up and they are giving their lives to Christ…definitely a God-thing.

Now don’t get me wrong, I think our style, while not the right way or the only way, definitely helps, other factors are at work.  Mainly you!  Your presence each Sunday morning really matters. 

It matters because when the unchurched walk into a room that’s filled with hundreds of excited people, it prepares them for something exciting.  When you sing and clap and lift your hands it shows them that you’re excited about God.  When you greet them and show genuine interest in them they soften their stance that Christians are only interested in their own little cliques.  When you serve in the Children’s Ministry once a month it helps the unchurched be able to hear the word of God preached without the distraction of trying to control their kids.  When you serve as an usher or help mow the grass during the week, or serve in any of our other ministries, you’re a living demonstration that people really can be unselfish with their time and their gifts.

So remember, God loves you, I love you and yes, even the unsaved in our community love you…they just don’t know it yet.  Your presence each and every week in our community and in our church matters whether you know it or not!