Rise and greet your neighhbor

So,  I've had a lot of church experience over the years and the most awkward experience has been repeated at almost every church I've visited.  The pastor asks us to rise, shake a hand, give a hug or something similar to people we don't know.  The heart of the matter is that they want us to form relationships with those we meet during this time.  In my lifetime I have met only one friend through this method.  The other 4,938 times I've done this it has been an unnatural act for me.  I'm terribly shy and the situation is tangibly painful, but aside from that-it is a mockery almost to the true intimacy that the church is supposed to have.  The Biblical description of church involves people being in real relationship, meeting daily, and sharing everything. 

 

So, what is the alternative?  Small groups or studies that require genuine relationship.  Barbeques, potlucks, Small classes with breakout groups.  Really, anything that inspires true relationships to form.  I've only seen one church do this well.  That particular church was small, about 45 people.  Everyone cared for everyone else's needs both practical and spiritual.  If someone needed support, a babysitter, people to help them move, company or a place to stay-someone would step up.  I know, it sounds like a cult-but it wasn't about our leader and there wasn't any crazy theology-just the above mentioned Biblical idea of actually being the church together and loving each other well, with actions and not just words.  That is the kind of church experience that I long for still.