Hi My
Name Isn’t. The adult class I led at my former church, chose to wear nametags. They saw it as a way to welcome guests and break down the barriers for people who didn’t attend as often. There were always mornings when non-conformists wouldn’t “tag up,” but that was okay. It actually helped us learn each other’s names and guests could more quickly connect with established members.
One Sunday, I noticed a visitor introducing himself to our regulars. He stuck his hand into a group of guys and confidently said, “Good morning Scott!” The person he was addressing chuckled out, “Hi … but my name is Roger.” He turned to another man in the circle and ventured, “So John …” At that moment laughter erupted from the group and the man he was addressing said, “I’m so sorry, I’m Kenny.” The four friends, guffawed and pounded each other’s shoulders. I realized what had happened, but it was too late. In friendly jest, several of the men had switched nametags. They apologized and explained to our guest, but finished out the morning wearing the wrong tags.
Their harmless prank had not been intended for the guest … and that was the biggest issue. They had no intentions concerning guests. They were not thinking of them at all. They had forgotten that the nametags were a vital part of our welcome. A good tool turned (unintentionally) into a glaring sign that said … “It’s hard to get in.” Our guest never returned.
