{"id":3488,"date":"2015-04-16T05:00:05","date_gmt":"2015-04-16T10:00:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thomrainer.wpengine.com?p=3488"},"modified":"2015-04-16T05:00:05","modified_gmt":"2015-04-16T10:00:05","slug":"10-reasons-everybody-at-church-should-wear-a-nametag","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/10-reasons-everybody-at-church-should-wear-a-nametag\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Reasons Everybody at Church Should Wear a Nametag"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Chuck Lawless<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

At many conferences and meetings I attend, I am expected to wear a nametag. The business world thinks about nametags, but the church world gives them too little thought. Here are ten reasons EVERYONE in church ought to wear a nametag.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Few people know everybody in the church.<\/strong> Even in the smallest churches, it\u2019s sometimes difficult to remember everybody\u2019s name. If\/as the church grows, that task becomes even more difficult. Nametags allow us to admit that struggle while providing a way to overcome it.<\/li>\n
  2. Leaders need help with names.<\/strong> I want to know everybody\u2019s name in my church, but I\u2019m not gifted with that kind of memory. I admit I need help if I want to be the best church leader I can be. I would much prefer calling people by name as I minister to them \u2013 and nametags allow me to do so.<\/li>\n
  3. Nametags invite conversation.<\/strong> Knowing another person\u2019s name breaks down one barrier to conversations that church folks ought to feel comfortable having. It\u2019s simply easier to talk with others when you are on a first-name basis.<\/li>\n
  4. Knowing names makes fellowship more personal.<\/strong> While calling each other \u201cbrother\u201d or \u201csister\u201d sounds good (and is theologically on target), that nomenclature is often a cover up for \u201cI\u2019m sorry I don\u2019t know your name, and I\u2019m embarrassed to ask.\u201d As long as conversations remain at the anonymous \u201cbrother\u201d and \u201csister\u201d level, fellowship will remain surface level.<\/li>\n
  5. Nametags save embarrassment. <\/strong>We\u2019ve probably all called someone by the wrong name, only to realize it later (or perhaps even within the same conversation). If \u201cbrother\u201d or \u201csister\u201d is a gentle way of saying, \u201cI don\u2019t know your name,\u201d using the wrong name is an undeniable way of doing so. That\u2019s embarrassing for both parties.<\/li>\n
  6. Nametags are an inexpensive way to promote outward focus.<\/strong> The church that says, \u201cWe don\u2019t need nametags since we already know everyone anyway\u201d is probably saying more than they care to admit. My guess is they see few guests at their church, and they probably aren\u2019t expecting any. On the other hand, using nametags is one way to say, \u201cWe expect God to send us guests, and we want to be ready for them.\u201d<\/li>\n
  7. Guests feel less conspicuous.<\/strong> I understand why we might give guests a nametag, but doing so for them alone actually makes them even more noticeable \u2013 and puts them at a disadvantage in conversations. I know their name, but they don\u2019t know mine if I\u2019m not also wearing a nametag. Guests should never be the ones who must do the asking.<\/li>\n
  8. Saying to someone, \u201cPlease let us know your name\u201d also says, \u201cWe want to know you.\u201d <\/strong>Much has been written about guests\u2019 desire for anonymity in churches, but I take a different slant on that issue. People who come to a church are looking for something. They often welcome care and concern. What they don\u2019t want is to be smothered and made uncomfortable. That\u2019s a different issue, though, than simply wanting to know them by name.<\/li>\n
  9. A \u201cnametag\u201d ministry provides opportunities for service. <\/strong>Somebody must purchase the nametags. Somebody must distribute them. Greeters must remind folks to get their nametags. And, likely, somebody must clean up the \u201cpeel and press\u201d nametags that wind up on the floor after the service. The opportunities for members to get involved in a simple but significant ministry are numerous.<\/li>\n
  10. Leaders risk little by trying this approach.<\/strong> We\u2019re not omitting a ministry from the budget, re-writing the church constitution, or killing a sacred cow with this approach. We\u2019re simply asking people to wear a nametag to promote fellowship and welcome guests. If this ministry fails \u2013 and I don\u2019t think it will if leaders promote it properly and patiently wait for it to enter the DNA of a congregation \u2013 the church has lost little.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What are your thoughts about nametags?<\/strong><\/p>\n

    \n

    Chuck Lawless currently serves as Professor of Evangelism and Missions and Dean of Graduate Studies at Southeastern Seminary.<\/em>\u00a0You can connect with Dr. Lawless on both\u00a0Twitter<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0Facebook<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

    \"PhD_ThomRainer\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    photo credit: Hello, my name is anonymous<\/a> via photopin<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The business world thinks about nametags, but the church world gives them too little thought. 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