Different Greetings to Welcome Church Visitors

I asked some peers in some of my networking groups:

Is there something more Church greeters can say than “Good morning?”

What are some of your suggestions? Please comment on site and join the discussion.

This was a response to a prior article:

What do you say greeting church visitors?

Some Greeting Options

Here are some responses from my the groups:

Steve: I like to get high fives from all the kids…it wakes them up a little and gets the parents smiling. Also, I’m starting to have custom t-shirts made to spark conversations. “Where are you serving”. “Ask me how to become a member”, etc. Anything that might strike up a conversation when they stop to read the shirt. Of course, the best thing I have found is really getting to know people and greeting them by name. Recognizing when they haven’t been attending regularly, when their spouse might not be there, that someone was sick the previous Sunday. Just a few ideas that seem to work well for me.

Gregory: Many times we don’t see things from the visitors perspective so we say the wrong thing, or we do not say anything at all. The article reminds us of the need to be intentional in our training for real ministry in the church. The fact that a visitor forms an impression of the church in the first minutes that he is on the campus is indicative of the help Chris has been to all of us.

Rick: We have a very small parish (approximately 30 active members) and it’s obvious when someone new comes to visit. Often, the pastor will actively introduce them but usually by then, at least half the congregation has already talked to them.

Lani: Here’s what we say at Abundant Life Ministries in Waikoloa, Hawaii: “Aloha-Welcome, great to have you with us today!” Hi I”m ________________, what’s your name? Where you from? How did you hear about us?

Victor: Welcome. Thank you for coming. Enjoy the service. How can I help or direct you? God bless you. And yes, good morning works well. Above all, be welcoming and genuinely loving.

Steve: Before worship service I would walk through the sanctuary greeting everyone, shaking hands, making conversation. With visitors, I would recognize that they were new or a church usher would let me know. I would talk with you and connect with someone nearby who offer to help them navigate the service and accompany them to coffee afterwards. Several parishioners were designated and trained to greet/meet visitors.

Clive: I would tell new visitors my name & ask them theirs,tell them about our Church & ask them about themselves. No set words but it is good to be friendly & take a genuine interest in all folks at Church including new visitors, not to just be a clique with the friends you know. As Steve says some new visitors won’t want to say much but still be friendly & make sure they know they are very welcome & where they do show interest make sure they are aware of other Church Groups,Events & Activities which they would be very welcome to attend.

Steve: Last Sunday, I was manning my post, out front greeting folks as they came in, and some 1st time visitors came up. I knew they were 1st timers since they parked in the designated visitors parking spaces (convenient for me!) and I didn’t recognize them. As they walked up, I greeted them and introduced myself and asked what brought them to our church that morning. I then gave them a quick rundown of who we are and the basic layout of the place (we meet in a school auditorium), then invited them to our New Connections dinner we have once a month-ish that we use to connect new people to the Elders and staff. But…I have found some visitors don’t want to talk. They are coming as an obligation to someone else or something, so I just try and read their body language and know that there are some that will not respond to me but will prayerfully, respond to the Holy Spirit while in service. Just a few thoughts. I take Sunday morning greeting very seriously! 🙂

Do you have greeters like this?

A pastor gets a Sunday off to visit another church and he wrote about his experience. (Link Lost)

What captured me was the same that captured him — an informal greeter.

The best part of Watermark, however, was the guy sitting to my right.

He came in, with his Full-Throttle caffeinated beverage – and in the meet and greet time asked if we were new.

Later, after the service, he asked us how we liked it and then he said this; “I have been coming for a year and a half and Jesus has changed my life through this place.”

He had a little of the ‘other side of the tracks’ look to him – and he then proceeded to offer me his mini-testimony and God showed up. This guy was real, and through Christ, changed. Like his church he was simple, transparent, and as a redeemed sinner more Biblical perhaps than he knew.

This wasn’t the polished and trained greeter, but rather someone who took the initiative to say hello and give a small story.  Do you have greeters like this?

Your turn:

Share with us in the comments below your answer to this question:

What more can church greeters can say than “Good morning?”

More Greeter Training Resources

• You can get the 2 DVD Combo Set of Greeter Training DVDs from the store, or download the videos
• See this tutorial on fixing your greeter ministry.
• Church Greeters 101 in Paperback
• Church Greeters 101 for Kindle