Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests By Dr. Tom Cheyney, EDOM Greater Orlando Baptist Association

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests You have worked hard to draw new people to your church by visiting and sharing Christ. They finally come to see this exciting place you have described. How do you welcome them to your special place? How do you strike a balance between allowing them space to experience worship and letting them know they are important? What is the most effective way to welcome guests to your worship service?

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Your church can follow three steps to extend a warm greeting to those who come your way: Identify the options, determine the goals, and consider church and community factors. Identify the Options A variety of methods to welcome guests exist. Commonly used methods and brief comments about the advantages and disadvantages of each are listed below.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Ask guests to identify themselves. This is probably the most widely used method in the Southern Baptist Convention today. Here are three variations to this common approach:

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Call the guests by name. The pastor or a significant lay leader meets guests prior to the service, learns their names, and recognizes them during the worship service. This approach often is taken in rural and smaller churches because everyone is aware the guests are present. This method is personal but does not require any action on the part of the guests.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Ask the guests to raise their hands to receive visitors’ cars and information about the church. We often ask people to wear visitors’ tags to identify them so that we can greet them after the service. This method identifies visitors and puts information about the church directly into their hands.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Ask guests to stand. This is a variation of the method above. It is especially useful in large churches, where poor visibility might cause ushers to miss seeing raised hands.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Several disadvantages are inherent in this method. First, asking guests to identify themselves can make them feel uncomfortable and out of place. Asking them to be conspicuous identifies them as “different” and immediately conveys the idea that they “don’t belong.” They are singled out in the crowd, a feeling many folks do not enjoy.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Second, many visitors will not fill out cards, particularly if they feel they are the only ones engaged in that activity while everyone else is singing, praying, or listening. Finally, this method sends a subliminal message to your guests: When they visit your church, they are asked to do something to help you achieve your goals. It implies guests are expected to meet the needs of the church, not that the church is there to meet the needs of the guests.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests The method was effective during the 1950s, when people were more comfortable entering strange settings and making themselves known. Most churches, however, probably need to consider other options more suitable for today’s society.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Record everyone’s attendance - This idea is catching on, especially in growing and urban churches. Everyone is doing the same task at the same time, so no one feels singled out or asked to do something no one else is doing. If this method is best for your church, remember that it takes continuous education of the congregation. You must explain the mechanics and purpose every Sunday so that all understand. This approach has three variations.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Pew registers -- Pads of paper are located at the end of each pew and are passed down the pews during a specified time. Members fill out their names, and guests fill out their names and addresses. It is important that adequate time is allotted to do this and that members do not pass the register early “to get it over with.” Guests may not understand what they are supposed to do with the pads.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Attendance cards -- Cards with spaces to fill in names, addresses, and phone numbers are inserted in the bulletins or pew racks (the bulletins are most effective). The pastor (or appropriate worship leader) at a specified time explains the purpose of the cards and leads the church to fill out the information requested. Everyone fills out the cards and turns them in during the offering or leaves them in the pews. The cards have several advantages: including “prayer-request” spaces on the backs of cards, achieving a higher guest response, preserving anonymity while getting desired information, and avoiding singling out guests.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Bulletins with tear-off attendance slips. - The slips are a variation of the guest cards described above, with similar advantages. They are especially useful for special events (such as Christmas and Easter musicals), when large numbers of guests may be expected.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests One disadvantage of this method is that it is not as personal. If a person wants to feel special, he or she may end up feeling part of the crowd. It requires some type of follow-up visitation after church services since it does not allow placement of information about the church into a guest’s hands.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Extra effort will be required to be friendly to all who come to church because no one will wear a visitor tag or identify himself or herself as a guest. The congregation may lose awareness of guests in its midst.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Have a personal encounter with all guests – This method gives the church an opportunity for a personal, caring touch but requires a dedicated group of servants. The danger of this approach is that someone will fall through the cracks. Every door to the worship center must be staffed with volunteers who make it their minister to be hospitable to all who come. Enough “angels” must be available for every guest. Three ways to have a personal encounter with every guest are listed below:

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Name tags for all -- Every person who attends (members and guests) wears a tag. The guest receives one when he or she enters the vestibule. This is more effective if the church has the technology to make the name tag permanent while the guest fills out an information card.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests That way, guests have something tangible that shows they belong and are included. This approach also allows guests to be identified but not singled out because everyone is wearing a name tag. The name tag facilitates warmth by allowing everyone to be called by name. It also creates a friendly “feel” in the church and makes everyone feel important but no singled out.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Have greeters -- While often used, this method has potential for great effectiveness. Train greeters to ask for names and to engage in light conversation to make guests feel welcome. It is important not to assume these actions came naturally to greeters.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Remind greeters of the church’s objectives in welcoming guests. Greeters can give guests information cards and help them fill them out. This approach helps guests know they already have friends in the church- people who personally are interested in them. It is more effective if greeters make follow-up visits. Greeting requires outgoing, dedicated people.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Adopt a guest – Friendly folks greet guests and help them fill out cards but go one step further. They sit with guests during the worship service; introduce them to others in church; and, in some cases, invite them to meet with the pastor, stay for a meal, or go out for a meal afterward. This is the most personal approach and gives validity to the concept of “friendly church.” It establishes relationships vital to sharing the gospel.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests The disadvantages to this method are that it may make guests who desire anonymity uncomfortable. Our efforts to be friendly may make people ill at ease and reluctant to come back.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Training is required for greeters to be effective. Name tags need organization and an outlay for equipment and materials. A danger in this approach is that guests may slip by. They must be identified before they walk into the worship center! Finally, it requires a dedicated group of volunteers who have a passion for this ministry.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Determine the Goals Having considered the available methods, the next step is to be clear about our intentions behind recognizing guests. Is the goal to be friendly, to share the gospel, to identify prospects, or to uphold the self-image that ours is a friendly church? In short, whose needs are we attempting to meet--ours or our guests?

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Determine the Goals Enduring goals for all churches are listed below. You will find that defining goals requires sensitivity to the needs and attitudes of guests. Make your guests feel welcomed, not embarrassed. Make guests feel included, not singled out.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Determine the Goals Make guests feel comfortable, not out of place. Make follow-up visits to guests to see if they are in need of the good news or if they are prospects.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Determine the Goals Do not deceive them! Do not claim to be friendly if your church is not; do not tell them they will be anonymous if they will be identified. Do not tell them they are welcome if the nonverbal language tells the “stay away; you do not belong to this club.”

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Church and Community Factors to Consider What is right for someone else may not be right for you. Analyze your particular need and make choices about welcoming guests based on your findings.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Church and Community Factors to Consider What is your community like? Most like anonymity in strange settings, but rural communities may require a personal touch. People may move to the country to escape the anonymity of urban life.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Church and Community Factors to Consider What is your church like? Some people choose small churches because they like to be fussed over. They want to be known by name. Other people want a chance to worship without being known, particularly if they fear they might not be accepted. Some methods are more appropriate for small churches, some for midsize churches, and some for large churches.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Church and Community Factors to Consider Does your present method work? Do you know your guest? Do you get the information and responses you desire? If it works, do not change it! If it does not work, consider other options. Be consistent! Find one method, and stick to it. Changing approaches often confuses members and makes it more difficult for them to understand the purpose behind welcoming your guests.

Innovative Ways of Welcoming Guests Remember, we all want ours to be the “church of the open door.” It is important, though, to open the door in such a way that people want to stay and not go back out.