When it comes to summer Sunday guests, think hospitality. You don't have to be a rocket scientist to determine if you're welcome at someone's home. The same is true at church.
Hospitality is the combination of two words: stranger and love. To be hospitable is to welcome strangers with love—to welcome strangers as family. Your first impressions team should be a tangible demonstration of what we believe about Jesus—that he welcomes strangers with love. How we treat guests is an illustration of how God treats them.
If we're truly hospitable, we're putting our guest's needs first. In The Come Back Effect, authors Jason Young and Jonathan Malm advise, "…hospitality is about caring for the guest's emotions just as much as it is about serving them, if not even more." Does your church's welcome process think first and foremost about your guests' feelings?
TWELVE WAYS TO BE TRULY HOSPITABLE
1. Recruit. Recruit. Recruit. Train.
Pre-summer is prime time to amp up your congregation's welcome factor and enlist more guest volunteers than you think you'll need. Cast vision for your whole congregation to be the informal, every Sunday, first impressions team. Formally train volunteer greeters, ushers, and welcome centre staff now for the summer, and they'll stay for the Fall. Guest services volunteers should be some of the most fun-loving, energetic people in the church. Guest services are great roles for motivated newcomers to your church.
2. Answer questions before they are asked.
Guests have a variety of questions as they arrive. Where is the best place to park? Where do our kids go? Which door do we go through? Where do we sit? Your signage and first impressions team need to be prepared to answer these questions before they are asked.
3. Make sure your church is findable online.
Your church must show up when people search for churches, whether online or through a maps app. Talk to the person who manages your church's website, and ask them to look into using Google My Business to get started with this.
4. Update your website.
On the homepage, list the correct worship time, especially if you changed your times for summer. Also, highlight your address. Parents will want to know what to expect for their children. Is there a staffed nursery? Is there a pre-school program? Is there something for elementary-aged kids? Make sure your current message series is immediately visible.
5. Mark off visitor parking spots.
If you haven't already, make sure guests have a place close to the entrance to park. Mark your guest space with a sign, "New here? Park here."
6. Put up clear signage.
Use door signs to point people to the correct entrance to avoid confusion. Have clearly visible signs in the lobby directing people to the washrooms. Invite someone who doesn't attend your church to survey your lobby to see if your signage works for them.
7. Host a VIP meeting before every service.
Rally up all Volunteers In Place 35 minutes before every service. Take 5 minutes to make them laugh, celebrate new volunteers, note birthdays and anniversaries, cast vision for your WHY, go over highlights of the service, and pray together.
8. Give guests gift bags before the service starts.
A brightly coloured gift bag can add to the friendly nature of a family's experience and help your congregation see who is a guest. Identify guests as they arrive. Watch for families with children that stay connected to their parent(s) – a sure sign they are guests. Direct them to a welcome area where they are given a brightly coloured gift bag. (Train your congregation to watch for people with a gift bag and welcome them.) Include small items in your gift bag that are easy to travel with like large chocolate bars, a coffee card to your coffee area or a Tim's card, gum, hand sanitizer, a sample size 50 SPF sunscreen, a card listing the website and an offer to pray for them.
9. Seating guests.
Train first impression team members and ushers to offer guests to find them a seat, even if the church is not full. This helps relieve anxiety about sitting in "someone's seat," a fear of many guests. Introduce them as guests to at least one other person.
10. Pre-service Auditorium Connections.
Engage guests in the auditorium pre-service. The pastor and volunteers positioned in the auditorium can take 60 seconds to introduce themselves, welcome guests, inquire where they are visiting from, and wish them a great vacation.
11. Next Steps.
What would you like newcomers to do after their first visit? Think through a clear, simple, concise next step that you can communicate to every first-time guest. Maybe that's filling out the connection card. It could be something like a post-service pastor's meet-and-greet. Or perhaps it's a midweek meet-up or service. Decide what the most effective way to enfold guests into your congregation is. Then communicate that next step onsite and through text or email post-service.
12. Post-Service.
First impressions work isn't over until the last guest has left the building. Train your volunteers to seek out guests they met pre-service for a "see you next Sunday" parting invite.
Apply these top twelve, and you'll not only have your best summer ever for guests, but you'll also ride fruitful momentum into the Fall.
Bob Jones is the founder of REVwords.com, an author, blogger, and coach with 39 years of pastoral experience. Bob is also an Advance Coach with the ABNWT Resource Centre. You can connect with Bob here.