Years ago, my friends Tripp and Tyler did a video about the things you can’t do when you’re not in a pool. It was a hilarious look at those two guys spitting water at people on the sidewalk, making absurd underwater faces and in general being perfectly silly.
It made me think though, are there some things you can only do in church? Are there some weird things we take for granted that if you did other places would seem ridiculous?
I think there are and here are the three I came up with:
3 things you can only do in church.
1. Ask a stranger to scoot in to the middle.
If you’re late to church one morning, it is perfectly acceptable for you to ask a complete stranger sitting on the aisle to scoot in to the middle. You might not think that’s a weird thing, but try that same thing the next time you fly Southwest. If you’re in the B boarding group, walk onto the plane and find someone from the A group who has claimed an aisle seat. Walk up to them and say, “Excuse me, will you scoot in to the middle so I can sit in the aisle?” Let me know how the rest of the flight goes.
2. Hug people you don’t really know.
Your church might not do this, but I’ve been at plenty of churches where the pastor said, “Turn to the person next to you, give them a big hug and let them know you’re glad that they’re here!” (Cue collective introvert shudder.) Try this one at a coffee shop today. As you wait in line, just turn to the person next to you, embrace them in a full frontal hug (no leg wrap please) and say, “I am so glad you are at a coffee shop!” Please do not mention this blog post in the arrest report.
3. Shout phrases of encouragement when someone says something good.
I love when people shout “Amen!” when I am speaking at a church. I also like “That’s the truth!” I find both of those things encouraging. But next time you’re in a meeting at work, try that. When your boss reads off the plans for a new client, just scream from the back of the room, “That’s the truth!” Or better yet, scream out, “Devil is a lie!” Then email me and I’ll help you figure out what it feels like to be unemployed. (Technically you can yell at concerts but I don’t cotton to sitting near the guy who screams “Jesusssssss!!!!” directly in your ear canal all night.)
There are a lot of things you can only do in church.
Those are my 3, what do you think is something you can only do in church?
