When we say “everyone is welcome at The House” do we really mean it?! One of the things that can kill momentum and growth is the formation of cliques! A clique is defined as a small exclusive group of people. For the 6 years that we have been doing The House to reach the college and young adults of Southwest Florida, we have fought hard to NOT have cliques. Although I recognize there are going to be people that you naturally gravitate to and want to spend most of your time with, I encourage you to actively and purposefully seek out newer people and work to get them plugged in. Nothing will kill UNITY faster than having cliques present in the House!

So, to all of the people of The House, ask yourself – is your social group a clique? Here are some questions to ask in order to determine this or not:

1. Does the group consistently and positively welcome new team members when they first arrive?  If yes, what do they say and do with the new group members? Healthy signs: “Jump in, ask questions, contribute your strengths, we like diversity …”.

2. Does the group reach out to all (especially new people) for lunches, hang out times, fellowship, etc…  The action to include is a healthy sign of a tight bond that can stretch without breaking.

3. Do the group members take steps to get the new people up to speed quickly and involve them in ministry and House functions? Or do they expect new people to prove themselves. If you witness the latter, it is a sign of ill-health.

4. Do people feel like they must confirm or be a certain way in order to fit into your group or to be accepted?

Cliques are BAD! So let’s work to avoid them at all cost. Do something intentional today to reach out to new people that come around. We are all part of the Body of Christ and everyone is welcome in The House. Will you do your part to make sure they know it?

Word…

PA