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    We Want You Here
    We Want You Here
    We Want You Here
    Ebook53 pages46 minutes

    We Want You Here

    By Thom S. Rainer

    4.5/5

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    About this ebook

    The message is basic but profound. We want guests to know they are welcome to the church. This book is a gift to guests to communicate that very message.

    Bestselling author Thom S. Rainer (I Am a Church Member, Autopsy of a Deceased Church) has created a tool for churches to become more hospitable through a brief, welcoming book that introduces the ministry of the local church to guests. We Want You Here is a clear and instructive message to be given to church guests. Rainer facilitates the follow up conversation that every pastor would have, if they had the opportunity. By giving away the book to guests, they are encouraged, in a non-intrusive manner, to continue to reflect on the decision to visit their church.

    Those churches who share We Want You Here will be able to tell their guests:

    • We Really Want You Here
    • This is Not a Place for Perfect People
    • We Would Like to Get to Know You
    • This is Where Families Grow Strong
    • Getting to Know the One Who Made Us
    • Come Make a Difference with Us
    • Thank You for Being Here

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBH Publishing Group
    Release dateMar 1, 2018
    ISBN9781462780907
    We Want You Here
    Author

    Thom S. Rainer

    Thom S. Rainer (PhD, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources in Nashville, Tennessee. He was founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and, Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His many books include Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unexpected Journey, and Breakout Churches.

    Read more from Thom S. Rainer

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    Reviews for We Want You Here

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    • 5/5
      I expected to pan this book in a review when I began it. It felt like another "church growth"-oriented, Gospel-lite pamphlet put out by LifeWay. Well, my presuppositions were exposed! This delightful book will be a staple for us as we follow up with visitors at our church. It paints a picture of an healthy church filled with imperfect people serving a Sovereign God who desire to love on each other and reach the outside World. The book includes a chapter with a Gospel presentation and present church as a place where you can both be served and serve others. Thank for this helpful resource, Dr. Rainer!

    Book preview

    We Want You Here - Thom S. Rainer

    Copyright © 2018 by Thom S. Rainer

    All Rights Reserved

    Printed in the United States of America

    978-1-4627-8089-1

    Published by B&H Publishing Group

    Nashville, Tennessee

    Dewey Decimal Classification: 254.5

    Subject Heading: CHURCH FELLOWSHIP \ FRIENDSHIP \ CHURCH

    All Scripture quotations are taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.

    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 • 22 21 20 19 18

    To

    You who honored our church with your visit.

    We are glad you came.

    About the Book

    I get it. Many of you who read this will think, I don’t think this was the guy we heard preach last Sunday—was it? No, you are not crazy. I am not the local church pastor in your community. But I am connected to the church you visited.

    First, if you are a follower of Jesus, we are all connected. Local churches in Annapolis, East Africa, Australia, and Antarctica—we share a bond and common mission through the gospel. We are all connected through Christ.

    Second, I lead an online community of pastors who care about you deeply. I create content to help pastors in many different ways, but some time ago, a particular topic stuck a chord. I learned that the pastors in our online community are very concerned about finding the most effective way to say to guests who visit their church (and those who they hope will visit their church in the future), We want you here. So I wrote this book as a way to help those of us who care about church guests.

    I was in your shoes once. I know what it is like to join a new church community. I hope you will find help in the pages ahead. Because we really want you here.

    Thom S. Rainer

    Chapter 1

    Thank you.

    We know. Those two words can seem trivial. We say them so often we can take them for granted.

    But we really do want to thank you for being a guest at our church. We do not take your visit lightly. You have given of your time and energy to come to our church.

    So, thank you again. We really mean it.

    You may have some questions about our church. You may have some questions about your experience when you visited.

    We get it.

    Anytime you go to a new place, there may be uncertainty, and there may be questions. Our staff and church leaders are available to help you. We want to be as transparent as possible. We want to tell you about our church. We want to hear from you. And we want to answer your questions. Please let us know how we can help.

    We want you to know something else: We really want you here!

    Okay, that may sound absurd on the surface. How can we really want you here unless we know you well? Let us share five key reasons and you may get a better idea of our excitement about your visit.

    Reason #1: We want you to experience the love of Christ.

    We believe in Jesus Christ.

    We believe he is the Savior of the world.

    That is why we gather and worship at this church. Quite frankly, that is why we do what we do.

    There are many good organizations out there. And many of them are doing a great job serving others and helping others. We are grateful for those organizations.

    But

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