At the beginning of every year, people make new year’s resolutions.
Some want to start growing spiritually and they will check out churches to connect with.
Are you prepared for them?
I want to give you 5 areas to consider improving your welcome for your first time visitors.
1. Trained Greeters
Greeters can provide a warm handshake, helpful information and walk guest to classes or the sanctuary if needed. Greeting is more than just a hello. It is a first impression.
Action: You can get the 2 DVD Combo Set of Greeter Training DVDs from the store as a potential resource.
Also, see this tutorial on fixing your greeter ministry.
2. Cast a Hospitality Vision
Being friendly to your church visitor means that the church family is listening, inviting, encouraging, and caring.
Action: Help them get that vision for hospitality by casting it when you can in sermons, meetings, and Sunday school classes.
Church Visitors should be greeted by someone around them, not just the greeter at the door.
3. Welcome Packet.
Prepare Welcome Packets for your guest.
Action: Read How to Prepare a welcome packet, perpetually one of the 10 ten articles on this website each since since I wrote it years.
Include current information on upcoming programs and an invitation to meet with the pastor.
Include the ONE simple next step visitors can take to build relationship with your church family.
4. Have a reception after the service.
Have a coffee/snack reception after the service.
Action: If you don’t have one, work with your hospitality committee to start one.
This allows time for conversations with your church visitors to occur, for prayer to happen, and for your guests to meet with the pastors.
5. Post Visit Welcome Letter
Assuming you got church visitor contact information during the worship service, you’ll want to send them a nice follow up letter.
Be sure to include an invitation to return to the next worship service, as well as some upcoming event or service.
Don’t bother with “we are here to serve you, if you need anything.”
Instead, invite them to join you on a mission or upcoming event. For example, “We believe in serving our neighborhood and being the best church for the community. This month on [date] we’re going to serve the homeless and invite you to join us on that mission.”
Next steps
What are some areas that you would add? Please share them in the comments below.
Coaching Call
Do you want to discuss your where your hospitality system is stuck? I offer a coaching call where I spend time on the phone with you or your committee, up to 90 minutes, where I help you trouble shoot and develop some action plans. I can help you review your systems through a step by step flow chart that I’ve developed. Read more about that hospitality coaching here.
Fellowship Hall photo credit: The World Wants a Real Deal via cc
8 Reasons Church Visitors Don’t Come Back (and what you can fix)
great info…thank you
I am a church greeter and I try and make sure they are welcomed as soon as they walk through the door and if a new person comes in late I make sure they are also greeted.
Thanks for doing such a great job in greeting people. We keep our greeters at the doors for at least 20 minutes after the start of the service, but some will stay the whole time welcoming those who even show up with 10 minutes left to the service. They also say good bye to people on the way out after service is over.