Ragamuffin Soul - Latest Comments in Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Rashad Forsberg — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 02:47:06 -0000

I really enjoy the article post. Really Great.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

remywriter — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 05:09:20 -0000

Well, if it makes you feel any better about action being taken, your video was shown at the 2007 Leadership Advance, Mosaic's annual gathering of all the volunteer staff. Was kind of funny when it first came on--Christina and I were like "Hey, that looks a lot like Carlos. . . It IS Carlos." And then there we were: caught between our two churches. What I don't get is that Erwin said he found the video on YouTube. I think your criticism and undercover action are fully justified, but why didn't the Mosaic staff here about it after the fact from you? I don't know the whole story here, but Tammy did tell me once that the McManuses and the Browns are not strangers. If this is a problem for the church in general, why is the church in general finding out about itself through random web browsing? Just wondering what's going on--and really really hoping the people of influence here aren't going to devolve into myopic conflict.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

remy_actual — Tue, 23 Jan 2007 00:09:20 -0000

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

loswhit — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 06:37:30 -0000

I will make one sadder comment.
Who are you?
Los

P.S. Let\'s break the streak. You know where to find me. Big bald brown dude with guitar

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Miles — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 04:36:27 -0000

My neck hurts.

I help set-up at Sandals and just had a conversation about this very topic. I have to make one sad comment. Los- you and I haven't said hello or good morning to each other in nearly one and a half year's worth of Sundays.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

loswhit — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 02:37:30 -0000

I will make one sadder comment.
Who are you?
Los

P.S. Let\'s break the streak. You know where to find me. Big bald brown dude with guitar

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Miles — Thu, 03 Aug 2006 00:36:27 -0000

My neck hurts.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Brandi — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 21:49:27 -0000

Great post, Los.

You just answered a question I've been wrestling with for weeks now. Thanks!

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Brandi — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:49:27 -0000

Great post, Los.

You just answered a question I've been wrestling with for weeks now. Thanks!

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

pete — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 17:16:21 -0000

I'm a worship leader at my church and I "get to be seen" all the time. This past Sunday, before service, I walked up to a buddy of mine, shook hands, blabbed a bit and was going to go "do my thing." I stopped when I saw a person I did not recognize. I walked up and intro'd myself, he intro'd himself, and then I ask how long he's been coming out to our church...

To my surprise, he said "about a year."

?!?!??!??!?!?!??!!!!

Of course, I can't meet and greet everyone, and I guess I am at fault for not making the effort every Sunday, but to miss this guy for a whole year?!?!?!

Crikey.

Our church is generally a very friendly church. We make it a point to have a "trained" greeter team to ID and direct new folks so our visitors might be able to sense that connection is easier than they might have thought before walking through the front door. We also have the occasional built-in time during service where our pastor will "groupletize" -- during sermon -- for quick intros and then engage in a brief, but directed discussion about whatever topic that morning.

We try hard (perhaps not hard enough) to foster interaction and connection. I'd love to hear your ideas about what you do, or how you connect with visitors.

Quick story... our pastor set the congregation up one Sunday with a buddy of mine posed as a bum one cold morning. He was asked to linger around the front of the church. Pastor wanted to rebuke our congregation for not loving the homeless and yada yada yada... but he couldn't.

Our greeter team went out of the way to help him feel welcome, invited him in out of the cold, offered coffee, etc. Pastor was blown away, pleasantly surprised, and blessed by the kindness exhibited by our congregation as a whole!

My buddy, who had been attending another church (but floundering) decided to join our church after his experience -- he was blown away too!

We just need to get back to the basics and just love on people, eh?

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

pete — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 13:16:21 -0000

To my surprise, he said "about a year."

?!?!??!??!?!?!??!!!!

Of course, I can't meet and greet everyone, and I guess I am at fault for not making the effort every Sunday, but to miss this guy for a whole year?!?!?!

Crikey.

We try hard (perhaps not hard enough) to foster interaction and connection. I'd love to hear your ideas about what you do, or how you connect with visitors.

My buddy, who had been attending another church (but floundering) decided to join our church after his experience -- he was blown away too!

We just need to get back to the basics and just love on people, eh?

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Singing Sparrow — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 06:28:02 -0000

I still have a hard time with this. I am not sure where to start or how to approach this. I am not "new" to Sandals, but it still feels like I am. I sing, I am involved, but often I still sit by myself during service. Not to say that I am not ok with this. But I feel that the time when I meet the most people is in the bathroom. I definitely would have to say I have met some of the friendliest people here at Sandals, it's just the process in meeting them that takes awhile.

But I need to do my part too. For instance, this last Sunday (in the bathroom), my friend Wendy was talking with this girl. They were talking like they knew eachother for a long time. I don't know because I still don't know a lot of people. So I had figured that she had been coming to Sandals for awhile and I never ended up being introduced. So, anyways, after the serivce, we ran into her again...well, through the last conversation, I had found out it had been her first time. I felt so bad for not having talked with her, I had just assumed. And we all know what assuming does! lol. So, my lesson was, don't be shy, and to involve myrself even if I seem like the outsider. Because we all know what it feels like to be the new one. And it can be an awkward place.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Singing Sparrow — Tue, 01 Aug 2006 02:28:02 -0000

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

loswhit — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 20:40:08 -0000

Thanks Bobby.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

bobby — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 19:57:58 -0000

Los,

Enjoyed the video. Fun idea. I do think it can be different with different groups. It seems to me like it is especially difficult with younger crowds at times.

I had a great time visiting Sandals a week ago, and haven't had time to post about it yet, but the nature of this post seemed like a great place to share a piece of my experience. This is one of the most important things I look for in a church. Just for the record, you guys aren't doing so bad. When I walked in the door the greeters at the door all said hi and were very friendly.

I do have to admit though, when we were out front kinda lookin around beforehand, and for a bit inside after the service, we weren't approached at all. i figured this was the case for 2 main reasons though. 1) It was Sunday night which seems to be a younger crowd. They probably don't think this way as much and maybe we don't look as young as I like to think. 2) I was with my wife and a friend, so maybe we didn't look loner enough. I did start some great conversations also, though.

Had a great time and loved the service! Was fun sayin hi to you as well. Keep up the good work!

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Lance — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 17:48:39 -0000

Thanks for the conviction. Really made me realize that I am guilty of this a lot. We can lead worship from the stage, but if relationships are not built, then, like you said, we have lost.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

brian — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:55:34 -0000

what's crazy is that i think most church-goers think that greeting and befriending the loner is the leadership teams job or "don't they have a committee for that?" kind of thing. I love the way louie giglio says, "church isn't about you"

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

loswhit — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:40:08 -0000

Thanks Bobby.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Alisha — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:27:55 -0000

Wow, my guess is here in our So Cal culture we all need to work on this. We have to constantly be talking about it for our meetings on campus. Our students use it as a "friend" time when our whole purpose in being there is sharing the gospel. I confess it's always easier for me to try to connect with the students I already know rather than meet the new ones coming in. Sometimes I even use the "staff" excuse saying it's a good time for me to check in or grab time with the girls I disciple. We should all try this once in a while to remember what it feels like to be new. Interesting thought, we are church goers ... imagine how someone just checking out spiritual things would feel even more like an outsider.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

justin aka jrocka — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:08:15 -0000

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Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

bobby — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:57:58 -0000

Los,

Enjoyed the video. Fun idea. I do think it can be different with different groups. It seems to me like it is especially difficult with younger crowds at times.

Had a great time and loved the service! Was fun sayin hi to you as well. Keep up the good work!

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Rick — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 15:06:41 -0000

A secret shopper can tell us a lot about our church, maybe some things that we don't want to take a good, hard look at. I don't care what kind of church it is: A home group, a small country church at the edge of a wheat field, or a big inner city church with somebody as hip as 'Los as the music pastor. If a visitor doesn't feel welcome the first time through the door, chances are they won't be back. What a tragedy.

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

grant... — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 14:50:12 -0000

...i sometimes get scared as hell going to my own church...

i do agree with you...our church is still small yet there are times i see the leadership hanging out and leaving others out...(be like christ?...hmm)

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

los — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 14:42:44 -0000

I think it is different in different areas. Anf For Sure with groups. Even more with groups of kids.groups already feel somewhat safe. But there are plenty of loners out there who I am convinced feel the shaft. I think what gets me more is when the church staff "ahem" cliques together like we have not seen each other all week. Oh. And if you tilt the laptop you don't have to cock yo head left.
Los

Re: Ragamuffin Soul » Cock Yo Head Left

Todd — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 14:06:40 -0000

Los,
To borrow a phrase, that video as convicting as hell, man. Thanks for taking a risk. Helped me get my head right. Keep it up.