Ouch

I was reading a blog today from Jeremy Myers and thought this was horrible..

...I ran an experiment to see.

Right now, I am growing my hair out. It covers my ears and looks a little shaggy. A while back, when visiting a church, I wore jeans, a grey t-shirt with holes in it, and a baseball hat, just to see how I would be received. I didn’t bring my Bible. Nobody greeted me. Nobody shook my hand. During the sermon, nobody offered me a Bible.

I returned the very next week wearing slacks, a tie, and carrying a big Bible under my arm. I must have been greeted by 20 people in 10 minutes, and nobody said “good to see you again.” They didn’t recognize me as a second-time visitor! I now fit in with the kind of person they wanted in their church, and so I received a warm welcome. I was handed whole reams of literature. Someone personally took me up and introduced me to the pastor. I guess I was now a “keeper.”

I didn’t go back.

Now, I realize that every church has their faults and even once in a blue moon, this CAN happen without true intention of prejudice against people. But, God forgive us and change us when we're not at least giving people a smile and a handshake to say, "how are you?" I mean, it honestly convicts me with a huge heaviness because when we go back to practice for choir, I don't have a lot of time to mingle. And sometimes I really think I could do a little more than I do anyways. But, I feel grateful and secure in knowing that the men and women we do have at our church don't pick and choose whose hands they shake, and who they greet. They are accepting of anyone who walks through the door. My father-in-law, Mark, is always buying Bibles too and our church will pass them out at events. Plus, in the past few weeks I've been able to give away probably 10-15 Bibles to kids coming to our youth group. It's been pretty awesome. We're not a perfect church, but I thank God that we have a group who loves people no matter what they wear to church.