Creating a Culture of Hospitality

Imagine walking into your church for the first time. You wonder, "Will the people accept people? Will they be friendly?  Will I know what to do? Will I fit in?"  As you arrive in the parking lot you see multiple entrances to the building.  "Which do I use?" you wonder to yourself.  Once inside you have a child who needs to go to the bathroom but you don't know where it is.  You look around with a perplexed "I'm new here" face but no one engages you.  After searching the building and finding a restroom you find your way to worship where you sit and watch others mingle but no one approaches you.  Would you go back?

Hospitality is critical to producing return guests.  Research shows the a guest will decide within the first 7 minutes of contact with your church whehter or not they will return.  So, let's talk about some tips for improving hospitality to keep them coming back a second time..

1. Consider hiring a mystery worshipper.  This a person who, preferably, has no church experience. Pay them to come to your church and evaluate finding the location, signage, friendliness, cleanliness of restroom and nursery, Following along in the service (was it all insider language?), etc. Then have them write a report on their experience and share it with your leadership team.

2. Grow your Greeter Ministry.  Consider parking lot greeters to welcome people and direct to the front door.  Have greeters at all entrances and train them to smile and welcome everyone.  Have "intentional rovers".  These are people inside the church that are looking for guests who look confused or simply to introduce themselves to guests.

3. Make sure your web page is for "outsiders".  Make worship times easy to find on the front page and make sure they are updated to reflect current worship times!  Give directions to your church. Make sermons available online so people can hear before they arrive.  Share information about Sunday School, how to dress, small groups, childcare, etc.

4. Create an information desk.  In your lobby area set up a nice info desk area with pamphlets and brochures of events and activities of your church.  Post a person there to answer questions.

5. Pastors, go out of your way to meet and greet new faces remembering their names so that next time they return you can call them by name.

6. Introduce yourself from the front.  Not everyone knows who you are so introduce yourself each Sunday.  "Hi, my name ......., and I'm the lead pastor at ......."

7. Welcome guests  each Sunday from the front.   After introducing yourself thank people who are there for the first time.  "If you are new among us today, thank you for choosing to worship with us. We are honored you are here." NEVER make new people stand or introduce themselves!

8.  Have excellent visible  signage.  Make sure nice looking signs point the direction to classrooms, the sanctuary, restrooms, and especially the nursery.

9. Teach your congregation to greet people.  Literally, from the pulpit, tell them how important it is to guests to feel wanted and a sense of belonging when they come to a church.  Then encourage them to step out of their comfort zone for the sake of the kingdom..  Here are some tips:

"The Hand-off"  - when a new family or person is met don't just goodbye.  Hand them off to someone who is similar to their age and family situation.

"The Table Invite" - Teach your congregation to invite to their fellowship table anyone who is sitting alone.

"The Outsider First" - Make it a habit to look for new people before talking to your friends before church, during fellowship, and after worship.  Then you can bring them to your friends and enlarge your circle of friends.   You still get to talk to your friends but you are seeking the outside first.

Click here for  a link to a Hospitality Audit and Mystery Guest Audit Worksheet.

So what other ideas  do you have to share that can get our churches more welcoming so that they produce follow up visits and eventually a permanent bond?