Date: 11/18/2008
<br>Author: Devin Pickard
<br>Title: Visitor?
<br><br>Well, ready or not, the holiday season is here.  Halloween pumpkins have not even turned to mush yet and the mistletoe and garland are already going up.  Any department store worth its salt has their holiday specials and sales already in full gear.  No doubt, there are a number of folks who already have their Christmas tree in place and stockings hung with care.  I even know of some really weird people who have had all their Christmas presents bought and wrapped for some time now.  It just seems like yesterday that Santa made his visit and now its already time for his encore.<br><br>Some people live for this time of the year because they get to do what they do best....shop!  Although many economists are calling for a much slower shopping season, I dare say that for the most part, the malls in general will still be full to overflowing and the parking spots will be at a premium.  As you make your way through the mosh pit of shoppers on your next excursion, unbeknownst to you, you might be in the company of some “mystery shoppers”.  Some retailers hire marketing research firms to evaluate the quality of service in their stores by using “mystery shoppers” to get information anonymously.  These shoppers on the “down low” are assigned to make particular purchases and then report on their experience from product or service quality to staff friendliness to the cleanliness of the store.    This information is then used to help make that particular store as efficient and shopper friendly as possible.  Because in the end, it's all about getting the people with folding money in the front door and out through the check-out line.<br><br>Recently, some churches have jumped on the “mystery” bandwagon and have hired “mystery worshipers” to come evaluate their congregation.  Churches often hire someone like Thomas Harrison, a former minister from Tulsa, Oklahoma, to visit their church on any given Sunday.  Mr. Harrison, a meticulous inspector who often uses the phrase “I was horrified” to register his disapproval of dust bunnies and rude congregates, poses as a first-time churchgoer and covertly evaluates everything from the cleanliness of the bathrooms to the strength of the sermon.  For instance, this summer, Mr. Harrison scoured a mega church in Cedar Hill, Texas, and jotted down a laundry list of imperfections:  a water stain on the ceiling, a “stuffy odor” in the children's area,  a sullen greeter who failed to say good morning before the worship service, along with a number of other observations.  Though positive aspects of each church are almost always found, it is the negative areas that get the most attention from church leadership.  <br><br>Though some might turn up their noses at such efforts, I could see where evaluations of this type could be very helpful to any church family.  It is no surprise to go into a business of any kind and see some type of suggestion box provided for its customers.  Many churches would probably be afraid to place a “suggestion box” in its foyer for fear that someone might actually put one in there.   Then, horribly, someone might suggest that the suggestion be taken into consideration.  Then, the suggestion under consideration might even be put into place, which would mean that it was taking the place of something else that had been done a certain way for years on end....and that for some, could be a heart-attack waiting to happen.  Col. Nathan Jessup in “A Few Good Men” uttered the now famous phrase, “You can't handle the truth!”  The good Colonel spoke the truth about the truth.  There are some in the Church who do not want to hear the words, “There has been a better way found to do this/that”.  It might mean anything from finding a better and more efficient way to park cars....to a better and more productive way to greet visitors....to a better way of conducting Bible classes.  Keep in mind....again....that I am not talking about changing any matters that pertain to an issue of salvation.  But, would it not be interesting to hear what someone from “the outside” would have to say about the Fairfield Church of Christ.  I know we pride ourselves on being welcoming and friendly, but lets be honest....we probably are just a little bit biased.   Anyway, aren't we, like department stores, trying to get as many people in the aisles as possible?  Therefore, should we not figure out the best way to get it done?  So, we just might want to be on our best behavior at all times.  Who is to say....our elders may decide to hire someone like Mr. Thomas Harrison to come in and evaluate us....or maybe they already have . <br><br>Go the extra mile - Devin<br>