Who Is Welcome in Church?

"We extend a special welcome to those who are single, married, divorced, gay, filthy rich, dirt poor, yo no hablo Ingles. We extend a special welcome to those who are crying new-borns, skinny as a rail or could afford to lose a few pounds.  We welcome you if you can sing like Andrea Bocelli or can’t carry a note in a bucket. You’re welcome here if you’re “just browsing,” just woke up or just got out of jail. We don’t care if you’re more Catholic than the Pope, or haven’t been in church since little Joey’s Baptism.  We extend a special welcome to those who are over 60 but not grown up yet, and to teenagers who are growing up too fast.

We welcome soccer moms, NASCAR dads, starving artists, tree-huggers, latte-sippers, vegetarians, junk-food eaters. We welcome those who are in recovery or still addicted. We welcome you if you’re having problems or you’re down in the dumps or if you don’t like “organized religion,” because many of us have been there too.  If you blew all your offering money last night at the club, you’re welcome here. We offer a special welcome to those who think the earth is flat, work too hard, don’t work, can’t spell, or because grandma is in town and wanted to go to church.  We welcome those who are inked, pierced or both. We offer a special welcome to those who could use a prayer right now, had religion shoved down your throat as a kid or got lost in traffic and wound up here by mistake. We welcome tourists, seekers and doubters, bleeding hearts … and you!  EVERYONE ACCEPTED, UNCONDITIONALLY!"

I'm putting the above welcome on the front cover of the bulletin this Sunday.  It's not original as many of you may know.  It was "borrowed" from another church and has probably metamorphosized along its internet journey.  As I conclude a five week sermon series on Peter and Cornelius, it seems fitting.  I can see Peter endorsing this statement, as well as the Holy Spirit.  When did the church start becoming a "members only" club?  When did the church start putting restrictions on who is in and who is out?  Is this statement really that radical?  Is it really that strange for the church to welcome ALL people? 

I suppose for some it is.  I suppose Jesus' teaching is radical, radical enough to get him killed.  And although we think we have advanced so much as a human race, the things that are really the measure of society: acceptance, love, compassion, have not increased all that much in 2,000.  So while I should not be surprised that the welcome statement on the front cover of the bulletin this Sunday will be a complete shock and most likely cause some criticism, I will be.  I will be because I believe if Jesus were alive today, he would have "liked" this facebook status.  What about you?