Where Everybody Knows Your Name...

Heather, part of the Flats family!

Remember the great 80/90's sitcom Cheers?  It was a great show about the merry mishaps of a crew of misfits who gathered in a bar in Boston, and for a number of years it was one of the most popular shows on TV.  The adventures of such characters as Sam, Diane, Rebecca, Coach, Carla, Woody, Cliff and Frazier became part of our lives. It featured a marvelous little theme song, which if for some reason you don't know or don't remember you can listen to below...





One of the recurring gags on the show was when the overweight, down-on-his-luck accountant Norm would walk into the bar, everyone present would yell "Norm!"  It was in recognition of his importance to them, and of the theme of the show- everyone likes to go to a place where everybody knows their name.  And this is true for all of us.  Lately I have found my own place to "take a break from all my worries."  Every Tuesday Marilyn, our friend Lisa (and sometimes other folks) and I head over to the local Tijuana Flats for Taco Tuesday.  The food is good and the staff is great, and they take very good care of us.  And over a period of time, they have all learned my name.  I had never thought about it being a big deal until last week, when as we left the building after dinner pretty much every employee began shouting, "Bye Carl!"  I couldn't help but smile and feel special.  And I couldn't hardly wait until it would be time to go back again.  It's always good to go where everybody knows your name...


Wouldn't it be great if more of our churches, ministries and youth groups were that place?  I know I always wanted my student ministries to be like that- a place where people couldn't wait to come and be with one another because they knew they were loved, appreciated and called by name.  No one should understand better than the church that we should be a place where it is recognized that "people are all the same."  Yet it seems one of the primary complaints you hear about the institutional church is that it can be cold and impersonal.  It can be elitist.  It is a place where we often feel guilt rather than love.  And it is far too often a place where people feel left out rather than included.  We shake hands and greet people during worship, but do we ever learn names?  Do we ever seek to truly build relationships?  Do we understand that one of the best ways we can model the love of Jesus to our hurting world is by making everyone feel like Norm (and me!)- special and noteworthy?  We are sending a mixed message to the world when we say that Jesus loves them, and then do absolutely nothing to prove that we do too.  My son's relationship with the church was forever damaged when a youth pastor prayed for him using the wrong name.  We have to do better.  I know the church is meant to be so much more that a social club.  But part of that higher calling is showing people the love of God whose name is Jesus.  Fellowship is crucial to sharing our faith with the world.  And that starts when we learn each others names...


Tomorrow night I will be headed back to Tijuana Flats in Tampa/Westchase (around 7 PM if you care to join us!) with the gang, and I go with a sense of expectation and excitement, because the people there will be genuinely glad to see us.  I will hear my name. I will learn some names.  And I will feel part of a community.  Shame on us if our churches do any less.


Because of Jesus,