We want people to feel connected in our church. We want people to see the friendliest side of our people. We want guests to show up and then return again. All this takes work. It takes a bit to gain momentum in dynamic hospitality, but it builds on itself once you do.
I just finished reading some great reminders from Thom Rainer’s book, Becoming A Welcoming Church. Here are a few thoughts as you begin to shape (or reshape) intentional hospitality in your congregation!
Change Something Every Quarter
Like other ministry teams, church hospitality teams can become so routine that it’s no longer inspiring or creative. One way for the leader or point person to help combat that is to change something every quarter. Ideas may include changing the name badges, the way welcome announcements are made, the way we station worship space greeters, a different way to print/present the program or bulletin, the gift we give to first-time guests, etc. Help equip your hospitality team members to know what to say and how to connect. And tell the stories of people who have become involved because they felt like this church was home!
Pay Attention To The Few Minutes Just Before Worship
The few minutes just before worship may be the most awkward time for a new person in worship. Most often, new folks will research the times for worship and arrive early so they can find where they’re going. Getting from the parking lot to the right door and into the building, then to the worship space can be challenging. Not knowing people in the worship space may also be tricky, especially if there is a lot of talking, chatter, laughing, and apparent connections around them. Of course, this is a good witness to the love that binds Christian brothers and sisters together, but it can be a hindrance if the guests feel like complete outsiders. Having specific greeters in the worship space can help curb this. We don’t want to overwhelm the newcomer, but we can take some time to introduce ourselves and smile. Just a couple of connections can lessen the awkwardness just before worship. One other note: Coffee stations are typically self-explanatory and an excellent way for someone to blend in as a guest just before worship begins.
A Guest Focused Lifestyle
A welcoming and hospitably focused church isn’t something you set up one time and forget about. It’s an ongoing dynamic ministry that requires attention and consistent vision casting. We are always focused on the guests and constantly invite and share with the church why all of us are in this role to one degree or another. One key to the lifestyle of any congregation should be incredible hospitality with the love of Christ as our driving force.
Parking Lot Greeters Are Essential
Too many churches overlook the parking lot when it comes to welcoming. A parking lot greeter team can help let people know the church is open and ready for them. They can help get people to the correct entrance and identify new folks a little earlier. It’s challenging to begin this ministry role in a church because members already know the ropes – and it’s hard to put yourself in the place of a first-time guest. Just as it’s essential to have someone greeting people in the worship space, it’s equally important to meet people in the parking lot as they are just arriving!
Have A Focused And Dedicated Hospitality Leader In Your Church
There’s a reason hospitality teams and leaders are needed. This will help ensure the parking lot, entrances, welcome centers, and coffee stations are staffed and ready for people to arrive. It allows volunteers to connect with each other and be ready and available to help people feel welcome. Without the structure of the hospitality ministry, it would be difficult to make a systematic impact through connections and welcome!
Keep The Building Clutter Free
Your facilities must say, “Welcome!” and “We care about things around here.”
Put Up Guest Parking Signs
This can be permanent signage or portable. This serves the obvious purpose of helping a guest find a parking spot. It also allows the parking lot greeter to focus on someone who may not be sure where to head next. Finally, the guest parking spaces subconsciously tell your members that our church expects guests in worship, and we’re thankful for how our church is growing!
Have Good Signs Around The Building
Signage is not for members or regular attendees. It’s for the guest who visits. What seems evident to you is not to those who are showing up for the first time. The nicer and more effective signs you have, the better.
Double-check Your Website Times
Is everything correct? Is your website personal? Is there information about what to expect, where to park, where to enter, how long the service goes, if there’s something for children, etc? Try to examine your website through the eyes of a first-time person checking out the website on a Saturday night, thinking of showing up the following day.
Be Intentional During The Worship Service
One of the most awkward things for the first-time guest is the “greeting” time, which goes on too long in many churches. If your church folks are trained to approach the guests without overwhelming them, it might work, but long times of not really greeting people can be harsh on someone who just showed up for the first time eight minutes ago.
Additionally, in your worship service, you want to offer these basic G’s for each service: The first G, according to Rainer, is for GOING. We want to faithfully and prayerfully lead our people to Go as they live out the Great Commission as individuals and as a congregation. The second G is for GROUPS. It’s challenging to grow a church, and it’s difficult to be disciples in faith as an individual without groups to help lead, care, and move each of us on in our journey with Christ. A third G is for GUESTS. The church must work together to help guests feel welcome and at home. This comes from the volunteer greeter and hospitality team and also comes from the front – the pastor, those who make announcements and welcome, etc.
