Learning Inlusion Skills

Many, many faith organizations want to grow, often in order to be able to serve more effectively.  That is commendable. 
  We are part of, or attend, Christian faith organizations.  Most are not growing as they lose as many out the "back door" as they take in through the formal "become a member" rituals.  Having visited many in the past few years I have this observation to make:  very few members of these organization employ any inclusion skills!  When they do, it is almost always by accident.
  Including people takes energy, thought and two-way conversations.  Giving them a name tag helps, but only if you seek them out week after week, learn their name, learn to recognize them by sight, and introduce them to others in the "in crowd" who also learn who they are.
  Side Note:  I attended a church way back when that had a gifted greeter on the front steps.  He greeted every person coming in and learned their names.  He could greet them by name a week later.  Strangers, service men, students -- every newcomer got two things that first Sunday in addition to someone knowing their names. 
  They were invited to lunch with someone.  They were invited to tour San Francisco if they were new, or sort of new, to that city. 

  Now, that is employing inclusion skills, and literally hundreds of members were involved.  And, yes, that organization was making a difference, and it was growing.