The desire to belong to a group is a powerful motivator. In adolescent culture belonging is a primary goal that occupies a lot of time and effort. It is no wonder that people who visit churches rank "a warm, friendly greeting" and "friendly atmosphere" as their top priorities. Books, articles, and websites are written about these topics. Entire ministries are dedicated to welcoming visitors. What does this say? We want to belong. We want to be welcomed into a group of people. We want to be accepted. In my work with youth I have seen amazing acts of acceptance and I have seen painful acts of rejection. It is very hard to bring someone into the church after they have experienced rejection (in fact I have never managed to undo such damage).
Let's take this concept outside the walls of our place of worship. If we are a people who can welcome others then we have met a great need. Warm hospitality is the answer to how to evangelize. Consider what it would take for you to feel fully accepted at your congregation. This is a clue to the type of person you need to be. This can be accomplished via a full expression of love.
