Our welcome and acceptance of a new person into our local expression of the Body is bearing witness to the reality of their membership and inclusion in God’s family. We are not the gatekeepers of Jesus’ kingdom. Inclusion doesn’t equal assimilation, total agreement, nor uniformity. Communicating inclusion is giving affirmation to that person: you are loved, you are worthy of belonging, you are an image-bearer of God.
Check out this month’s #GCIchurchhacks for practical and applicable ways to welcome new people to your church.
https://resources.gci.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2022-CH9-WelcomingNewPeople.pdf
