(1) The Call to Worship is, "Y’all come on in!"

You might be in a country church if:

(1) The Call to Worship is, "Y’all come on in!"

One of my favorite shows to watch years ago when I was in a wheelchair and had to stay home all day was “The Price is Right” with Bob Barker as the host. Rob Roddy was the person who did the announcing and his phrase was “(first name, last name), Come On Down, you’re the next contestant on The Price is Right.” That person would jump up from their seat, the camera would swing and follow them as they made their way to the front where the contestants were lined up.

SO, when I read this first part of the joke, I put 2 and 2 together (well, actually, I guess it was 1 and 1, LOL) and had a brainstorm. (yep, smoke is still whishing out of my ears).

Call to Worship. I was raised in a Baptist church and this was generally the first thing that was done when the service started. It entailed standing up and singing a generally rousing hymn to get things going. I’m still not sure who was calling whom to worship (I’ve already covered this subject, so I won’t go into it again) but the service was started and generally proved to be a way to shut everyone up who had been in the sanctuary talking.

I think we should have a “Call to Worship” before we have the “Call to Worship” and combine the two things from above.

Have you ever been walking from your car to the church entrance and seen someone that you know drive by and you knew that they were not on their way to another church? They were possibly on their way to shop or to the lake for a day of fishing and boating. Next time that happens, wave to them enthusiastically and say, "(insert name), Y’all come on in!"

When they look at you strange, probably like you’ve lost your mind, tell them that you want them to come join you that morning. There will be the normal excuses of, “I’m/We’re not dressed for the occasion” or “We’ve got somewhere to go right now,” but tell them it doesn’t matter how they are dressed, (if it does, YOU may have a problem) and you want them to come in and find out how to get to Heaven, the most important destination in their lives.

Some people may look at you strange, some people will drive off in a huff, but you never know when that someone may take you up on your offer, and possibly make a change in their lives.

Then when the Holy Spirit calls them by name and says, “(insert name), Come on down,” then hopefully they will give their heart to God and be saved.

People are not just going to come into a church these days without being asked, especially if they are unsaved. We have to make the effort to get people in the church. If the way seems a little bit different, (as Christians, aren’t we supposed to be different?!?), then find a way to get comfortable with being different and let’s start to reach others for Jesus. Get people into a place where the word of God is taught so that lives can be changed and the world (at least the world around us) can become a better place.