One of the most common questions pastors ask me is: “How do I keep our vision for hospitality fresh in the minds of our congregation?”
It’s a fair question. Pastors already carry the weight of vision-casting for nearly every area of ministry. Yet if the church is to grow and reach new people, hospitality can’t fade into the background.
Today, let’s look at one of the simplest habits to refresh that vision, without adding another meeting to your calendar.
(Read Practice #1: Do a Quarterly Review of Your Hospitality Ministries)
Practice #2: Regularly Remind the Congregation
I’ve seen pastors do this well—sometimes in less than five minutes. Here are two examples worth learning from.
1. When Preparing for a Big Event
Many churches plan special events designed to attract first-time guests. It might be a new sermon series, or a seasonal outreach like Easter, Christmas, or Back to School Sunday.
In one church, a pastor shared how he was personally inviting friends to the upcoming series (modeling personal invitations). His sermon focused on the church’s partnership with God in evangelism.
Then he reminded the congregation that he expected them:
- To invite others personally
- To welcome newcomers warmly
- To serve with “above and beyond” hospitality
Hospitality wasn’t the main point. It was woven in as a brief but powerful reminder of how every person can create a good welcome.
“I’m looking to you all to help welcome my guests and the ones you bring. We need your help.”
“If you’ve decided you don’t want to welcome people you don’t know, we may not be the church for you. We’re not here to consume sermons but to serve those God sends our way.”
Those few sentences reawakened a passion for hospitality. In print, those words might sound harsh, but as I listened to the message, I heard pastoral clarity about why hospitality matters to the mission.
2. As a Sermon Illustration
Another pastor I know was preaching through Revelation. He was in the chapters on the seven letters to the churches.
While teaching about Sardis, a church that had “fallen asleep,” he told a story about a first-time visitor who shared with him that they felt invisible on Sundays.
It was a gentle correction, framed as a reminder:
“Let’s never become so comfortable that we forget the stranger who walks through our doors.”
That brief moment—less than two minutes—called the congregation back to life. It refreshed their understanding that every act of welcome has eternal value.
Vision Casting in Less Than 5 Minutes
What struck me in both sermons was how short those moments were. Each pastor spent under five minutes on hospitality, yet both left a deep impression on me.
- I felt invited to a greater cause: welcome the visitor.
- I was reminded to meet someone I didn’t know.
- I was reminded to think of others above myself before / during / and after the service.
You won’t always need a separate meeting to keep your hospitality vision alive. You can refresh it right from the pulpit.
When hospitality reminders are woven into preaching and announcements, it reminds people that every service can be a ministry moment. Yes, the people gather to worship God and hear the Word preached. AND it’s about helping guests encounter Christ.
Encourage Your Hospitality Team
Your church hospitality team needs to hear this vision regularly.
Whether they serve greeters, ushers, or welcome volunteers, these men and women set the tone for how guests experience your church. A short reminder from the pulpit helps keep their hearts aligned with the mission to help people encounter Christ through genuine welcome and the working of the Holy Spirit.
For ideas to strengthen your team’s passion and purpose, read:
- Fix Your Hospitality for the Price of a Cup of Coffee
- Restarting a Struggling Hospitality Ministry
- 10 Most Important Minutes to Church Visitors
- If you’re asked to give the Sunday welcome, here’s how to prepare it.
Reflection Question
How often do you remind your church about the importance of hospitality?
What’s one small way you could refresh that vision this Sunday?
Additional Resource
On the audio purchase below, I offer 13 more different ways and places where you can cast that vision in under 5 minutes at various places in the church life. Learn how can you develop a passion within the congregation for welcoming first-time visitors.
Learn 13 ways to Cast the Vision for A Great Welcome
In this 79-minute audio MP3, pastors, hospitality ministry leaders, and volunteers will learn:
- 4 Reasons Church Visitors Don’t Return and Which Ones You Can Fix
- Evidence of Poor Church Hospitality Practices
- Meeting the Expectations of Your Church Visitors
- The Importance of Initiative in Greeting Church Visitors
- 14 Ways to Cast a Hospitality Vision
- How to Pray With Your Church Visitors
- 7 Next Steps for the Next 30 days.
Format: MP3 audio download (70 MB)
Price: 10.00
Editor’s Note: First published in 2015. Updated in October 2025. This refreshed version offers new examples and insights to help pastors and hospitality leaders renew their congregation’s vision for welcoming guests.
Is relational evangelism biblical?
Deborah,
I’d want to go back to the drawing board and look at questions like:
1). What is happening in our church that would interest me in inviting someone I knew?
2). What is the sermon topic/series that my friend would be interested in?
3). Would my church welcome my friend if I invite them?
These questions can help look at some of the reasons that might be hindering the invitations.
hello Chris ! i have a question. i am trying to have a family and friends day at our church. i have tried two so far that has been unsuccessful. can you give me some pointer on how to do this, some ideas would be most heipful. how often are you to have family and friends day. we were trying it every 5th sunday is that too close or should it be every year. any and all information will be most appreciated and helpful Thank you and may God continue to Bless you. !!