Do you remember ever being a “Newbie?” Perhaps your first day at a new school, a new job, a new organization or club? The reason these experiences can be so challenging for most of us is the unfamiliarity associated with them. New territory and new people can really make us feel uncomfortable.

I am often forced to think about this issue in my work situation. You see my company is housed in a large office building in downtown Walnut Creek. My staff and I love most everything about our office space. However, getting parked and finding one’s way to our personal suite can be challenging for first time visitors. Upon arrival there are several obstacles to contend with.

Like most office buildings, the parking garage is not the best and brightest aspect of our location. In the words of Kevin McCallister, from the movie “Home Alone,” when describing the basement in his family’s home, “It’s dark, there’s weird stuff down there, and it smells funny, that sort of thing. It’s bothered me for years.”

Yes indeed, it gets confusing down there. Some parking spots are marked “reserved” others are not. Some marked reserved are actually OK to park in. However, a visitor’s only indication of this is a small white laminated sign hanging at the rear of the parking stall. Unfortunately, these are easily overlooked when your attention is drawn toward the “RESERVED” painted in large black letters on the ground within the space. There are also three levels of parking that create a deepening connection with Kevin McCallister and his basement experience the further you descend.

If you figure out the strange signage and avoid parking in a tandem space, you then have the garage elevators to contend with. These two elevators take you to the lobby where you must exit and reload onto one of the four office building elevators. This busy hub is all located around the corner from the security desk, where someone is available to direct you, but not readily visible when you first step out.

My staff and I have often discussed ways to assist visitors as to the best method of navigating their way to our suite. We’ve tried emailing before meetings and even provided explicit directions on our website. But over time we have learned that the best way to help our visitors is to make personal contact and communicate directly with them before they find themselves disoriented and late for their meeting.

Now, you might be asking yourself, what does any of this have to do with the enfolding ministry at GBC or my part in it? Well, first consider that an individual or family’s first visit to our church may well become their first enfolding experience. For most it all really begins here, with that first bewildering drive to our location. They face challenges of parking, finding their way around, and how to connect with those who can direct them into the flow of ministry on Sunday mornings. If you think only in terms of your own experience, having attended for many months, if not years, well then you’re probably missing how difficult it is for the newcomer to arrive and settle in. In other words, don’t think about this from your view, think about it from theirs.

So let’s envision together for a moment what newcomers must navigate through during their first visit. Shall we consider what it’s like for say, a married couple with young children who have just moved to the area? This sweet family, by whatever means they have learned about GBC, find themselves on Cleaveland Road one Sunday morning for their first visit. Upon arriving they are immediately faced with questions on where they can park. There is a small postage stamp-size lot on the south end of the campus that is already stuffed full of member’s and ministry participant’s cars. They think out loud, surely that small lot cannot accommodate all of Sunday morning’s parking needs? Perhaps on their way in they noticed the larger office building lot to the north side of the campus, but they wonder if it’s alright to park there? If not, will their car be towed? As they migrate over to the larger lot they encounter all of our defensive strategies to avoid having people park on Cody Lane or heaven forbid, the blood bank reserved spaces, where sudden doom awaits all who neglect these warnings. At some point they head for one of the few remaining spots that are better sized for a Honda Gold-wing than a family minivan.

As they now sheepishly enter our campus on foot and running a bit late due to the parking fiasco, they are most likely overwhelmed by a sea of people moving about a campus they are unfamiliar with. They need to feel comfortable about where to put their children and who will care for them. Those who work in children’s ministry can help but are not easily identifiable within the mass of moving bodies. Perhaps one of our greeters helps direct them and they’re able to get their children situated.

Now they need to find a seat in our stuffed 2nd hour worship service where it looks like the only available seating is in the front row next to the preacher whom it seems no one else wants to sit near. A handful of spotty, mostly single seats are available but they will need help finding them and a “regular” may need to move. It’s all very daunting and their first experience with this loving body of Christ winds up being impacted by the challenges of just physically “making it in.”

Now, let me be clear, we have many in our body who see these challenges and have taken it upon themselves to reach out. Some of these folks are involved in formal ministry with this focus, some informally. They both are simply acting upon the gospel’s compelling reality in their lives (2 Cor. 5:14) and reaching out in response to it. This should be the driving motivation behind our desire to help those new to our fellowship feel welcomed, get connected and eventually enfold into the ministry at here at GBC.

Are you one of those ministering in this manner? Do you see yourself in this role? You see this really is a spiritual work not unlike others within the ministry of the church. Giving of time, gifts, funds or especially hospitality is not reserved for a few in the church. Rather, it is a responsibility and opportunity for all believers and not intended to be effectively handled by an office in the church, although it is a vital part of what pastors and deacons do.

Granted, we must take care not to cross the lines of consumerism that has taken hold of the modern Christian church today. But we can do much to minister to fellow members of the faith as well as outsiders (Gal 6:10), so long as we do it with the right mindset and attitude. This effort must always be informed by the reality and application of the Gospel in our lives.

So how do you find your fit at the front end of the enfolding? Here are few suggestions:

• Let the Gospel be your guide so right thinking always motivates your thoughts and intentions. See Jesus as your example, no one has ever demonstrated self-sacrifice and serving others like Him (Phil 2:3-5, 1 Peter 2:21).

• Don’t wait for those in “position” to help. They are busy folks who need help from the whole body in order to effectively minister to new comers.

• If you see someone who looks confused or lost, they probably are. Take it upon yourself to personally assist them, or direct them to someone who can. Just remember, you, not the positioned ministry person, may be the best option in that moment.

• Be willing to give up your parking space. Walking some extra steps on Sunday morning is better, not worse for most people’s health. Leave those prized parking spots for our elderly, handicapped and visitors.

• Be willing to move or give up your seat. Assist our ushers so new folks can find their place in our worship with a sense of welcome.

• Make yourself visible. Be looking for the newcomer, understanding that you and the help you can provide is somewhat invisible in the midst of so many unfamiliar people.

• When you meet a searching soul or new believer, certainly point them to “The Story of God” class. But also consider attending with them so you can co-labor with prayer and personal follow up.

• Inquire about ways you can help with the Saturday “Discovering Grace” class. Coffee and lunch is always provided to this group of newcomers. How wonderful if our teachers could place all their efforts towards teaching and answering questions because all the other logistics are taken care of by those in the congregation.

• Join a community group and invite newcomers to it!

Tim Menez is a non-vocational Elder at Grace Bible Church