Small Talk Questions for Church Greeters

New church greeters may want small talk ideas to help them say different things other than “Good morning.”

While “Good Morning” is a place to start, the desire for variety could lead to a quest for other approprriate small talk greetings or quesitions.

Some new church greeters or new church ushers may feel a little nervous when serving for the first time because they may not know what to say or what they can say.

Or perhaps the new volunteer at the church’s next steps center who will serve your first-time guests and answer their questions may feel little nervous because they may not know what to say.

As the leader in your hospitality ministry, you can help your new volunteer by giving them small talk questions.

These questions can help them get a conversation going at a welcome center, your church lobby, or maybe in whatever visitor reception you might have before or after your church service.

Help your nervous volunteer feel equipped for conversations that might help your church assimilation process down the road.

Purposeful Small Talk Questions

1. Conversational starters.

Most of these church greeter small talk questions can be helpful during the passing of the peace (if that is your practice).

Your volunteers might find these starter questions helpful in your visiting time when your church service is over.

Not all of these are appropriate at all times, but could spark additional ideas.

Use just one or two.  I know that I’d feel a little uncomfortable with having to answer all these questions from a stranger, but one or two could get a conversation going.

Consider them as icebreakers to facilitate or open the doors to a potentially deeper conversation and connection.

After all the goal is to start the process of getting to know a church visitor who hangs around after the service.

Not every visitor to your church wants to engage in conversation, so it’s appropriate for church greeters to discern the level of interest in a conversation.  

You’ll want to avoid any sense of:

• invading personal space
• asking too many personal questions
• being too nosy.
• not reading body language to see “enough already” or “leave me alone.”

Questions Church Greeters might find helpful

• What keeps you busy during the week?
• How did you find our church?
• What do you do in your day job?
• Which school do you attend?  What’s your major?
• What do you sense God has in mind for you?
• What is your name?
• Where do you work?
• What kind of work do you do?
• Do you have any questions about the class or the church?
• Do you know how to get to the church’s auditorium?
• Do you know anyone that attends the church?
• Are you looking for a church home?
• Where do you live?
• Will you sit with me (during the service or activity)?
• Have you met “name of a person” that is standing near you? Introduce the guest to the person.
• Look at the person’s clothes and decide if there is something about the color, pins, etc. that you can ask a question or make a comment.

Read More: More Greetings for Church Greeters.

Your turn

Use the comment field below to add your answer

What question do you like to use to begin a conversation with a church visitor?

Recommended Resource:

If you lead your church greeter ministry, you’ll want to acquire this for your own inspiration or training:

• Church Greeter Training DVDs version
• Or get the download only versions here.