I was moved suddenly to tell you something about the ushers in the church. Every Sunday when I walk into the church gates, I am welcomed by a band of ushers simultaneously. The hospitality in our church makes anyone happy before entering the worship hall. These ushers are composed mostly of the elders in the church and the eldest is Mommy Eden who is very well treated with respect.
The Usher Inside the Church
Ushers are the least recognized ministry inside the church because they just look like simple people who will greet you when you come in and come out of the church. This is a big mistake if we underestimate this ministry, in fact, they are one of the biggest ministry a church should give focus.
The ministry of ushering does not require a skilled individual and all of us can be an usher even if it's not our ministry. All we need is attitude, an attitude of hospitality and brotherly love. We Filipinos are coined to be hospitable people and we as Christians should be the most hospitable. Considering the story of Elijah and the widow in 1 Kings 17:7-16, the widow gave all that she had been left for Elijah and she was then blessed and her jars are filled with many. We should be like the widow, even if we have nothing left, we should still show the light of the Word who is Jesus Christ upon us through this kind of hospitality inside the church. I have a true to life story:
My father is working in South Korea and he attends regularly to a church there. When he got home for a vacation, he showed me some of the pictures of their church and their church look amazing and the structure was very beautiful. Then he told me that that church was once a very small church with a small number of attenders. In my mind, that was usual to churches because all churches started small. But this church's story is a lot different than I imagined.
That church was a small church with very hospitable members. Actually, they have no ushers because everyone is an usher. One Sunday, a very old man was walking outside the streets when he suddenly heared the church's music. He entered the church and he was welcomed by members gladly and treated him as a special guest, though he is not a Christian. The old man became a regular attender in the church and he was very glad about the people of the church. One time the old man talked to the pastor and he said that one day the church will own the large land in front of their church and the pastor just didn't believed.
During offerings, the old man would give his whole wallet out and throw it to the offering basket. The old man was actually an owner of a large shipping company in South Korea! Every time he goes to church he just walks but his bodyguards are watching him from afar in disguise. He bought the large land in front of the church and entitled it to the church. The church suddenly became a very great church in Korea.
As Christians, we should all have the heart of an usher. Although the Bible doesn't say anything direct about ushering, Jesus, our great teacher, is the greatest example. He had welcomed us into His kingdom even if we're not deserving.
Being the Love Hand of God
The Bible doesn't say much about ushers in the church but having the example of Jesus, all of us should have the heart to usher to one another especially to new members or visitors in the church. It's almost like the evangelism ministry. The ushers are the hand of God that draws people closer to the church and it shows love much more than any other ministry in the church. Being welcomed into the Kingdom of God is a very exciting feeling -- to be loved, and to be accepted though we're sinners. Remember that we are the children of God and those children should be the first to welcome the visitors (unbelievers, believers, etc.).
Being welcome to one another (openness) also prevents members of the church from backsliding, thus, it supports one another on the love of God. It also promotes brotherly love where it becomes a firm foundation of the church. All of us should be a reachable help as God has gave His Son for us and welcomed us into His presence.
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