Belong before belief

In the book i just finished reading, the author kept making the point that for today's generation they need to belong before they believe.

As good and successful as the Billy Graham crusades were, nowadays, people want to see Christianity "with skin on" before they will make a further commitment. People will gravitate towards truth once they have seen it lived out and make less spur of the moment conversions.

Actually, it was a point that my old minister used to push for. That people often come into the community of faith by service. They are involved with an activity, and over time and exposure to believers, they slowly gravitate towards the church.

I used to be cold on the idea, thinking it was a bit bait-and-switch, but I'm not as hard-line anymore.

People are looking for a place to belong. A somewhere to be someone.

Perhaps we put the cart before the horse when we push for belief before inclusion.