2009 Rooftop Classic – “Take Them Bread… or Maybe Just a Break?”
This gem comes from 2009, filmed on the roof of my old apartment building with a camera that weighed about as much as a loaf of bread — which, coincidentally, is what this video is about.
Back then, some churches still practiced taking a loaf of bread to a guest’s home after the service. A kind idea… unless you’re the unsuspecting guest wondering why strangers are on your porch.
So I ask the real question: Is it appropriate for a stranger to show up unannounced?
The quality might be vintage, but the issue still stirs debate — and no matter the decade, good follow-up starts with respect and relationship.
I received a question this week in my email:
To make a positive first visit to a church visitors home, our Evangelism Team wants to take a loaf of bread and have a meaningful conversation, do you have a script for Evangelism teams to assist in making a positive impact? Are there topics you want to stay away from? Thanks, Jimmie
In the video, I give my thoughts about this practice for churches that choose to use it.
The home visit after the first visit has been a staple of church growth tips for a long time, but since our culture has changed so much, we need to think about it here in 2009.
After watching the video, one thing I forgot to mention was to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. It might be one of those kairos moments where the conversation can go into deep spiritual things. Other times, it might simply be a brief information visit.
Your teams need to be open to deciding on the moment how far to let the visit happen.
After watching the video, what do you think?
What advice would you give Jimmie?
Join the Conversation
When these training videos first appeared on ChurchGreeterTraining.com, many church leaders and volunteers shared their insights, stories, and questions in the comments.
During the migration to EvangelismCoach.org, many of those original comments couldn’t be transferred.
Let’s start the conversation fresh — share one takeaway or idea that helped you today. What stood out to you, or what could you put into practice with your greeter team this week?