The edge of a ‘church’ circle

How many times have you felt on the edge of a church circle? This blog is for you. Some pastors call it the peripheral; some call it the edge. Let’s delve into what this means. The saying goes that it’s the 'people' in church who may feel not included or involved, just sitting on the edge. However, this mindset can be judgmental, as those on the 'edge' may not feel included for specific reasons, including cultural factors established by the church. It could be a unrealistic standard that church leaders have set, causing people to feel pressure and refrain from getting involved.

How can church leaders combat this?

Stop having favorites! Yes, I said it 🙈 As a leader, your role is to draw out everyone’s potential, pastor people, and remember that everyone has a different story. They can't fit into the same mold as you or how you envision your church behaving in a certain way. It is vital for church leaders to make an effort to encourage people to get involved but not put pressure on them; let them know opportunities are there for them.

But I must admit there is a side note for people who have felt like this: I am sorry that people in church have made you feel this way. But we must remember that people in church can sometimes be a bad reflection of who God is, but we also need to forgive and understand that everyone is human and makes mistakes.

Sometimes, making an effort to get to know others and participating in small groups or volunteering on teams can be challenging but is a great way to ensure you are not leaving yourself out.

We are here to build a healthy community, if you consider yourself as a key member or pastor of a church, you have the responsibility of bringing everyone in and including people.