Top 10 Tips To Be a Welcoming Church
- Welcoming Website. Be sure your location, worship times and contact information are front and center for visitor visibility. Invite guests with details that will guide a newcomer starting in the parking lot.
- Grinning Greeters. Recruit your newest members who can make suggestions to improve the visitor experience or those with limited time to volunteer. 15-30 minutes on Sunday morning and a few handshakes is all it takes.
- Bulletins, Boards & Overheads. Check that your bulletins are inviting too. Meaningful bulletin covers connect with visitors. Consider including visitor call-outs that encourage questions and follow-ups with specific contact information, office hours and worship times.
- Worship ABCs. Order of Worship can be very overwhelming for new guests. Help visitors participate through pew cards, pulpit instruction or seating visitors with seasoned members. Address communion and giving in a friendly way that is appropriate for your church.
- Coached Congregation. Encourage your members regularly to practice welcoming hospitality ... greeting members in the pews, after the service or by hosting monthly visitor luncheons.
- Capture the Contact. Be sure your pews are stocked with attendance or visitor cards to invite community, follow up and prayer requests.
- Beyond the Benediction. Don't let your guests escape empty-handed. Use Welcome Ministry resources to encourage visitors in Christ and remind them that they belong, all are welcome in God's kingdom.
- 411 Follow Up. Engage the Welcome Ministry team to follow up with first-time and repeat visitors. Identify most common questions to build your Q&A materials. Create a community calendar to strategize welcome ministry and keep visitors coming back.
- 911 Dispatch. Guests attenders are often seeking community—seeking God—because of personal struggles. Be prepared with prayerful resources and prayerful people to step up and gently guide in these times of need.
- Welcome Home. Welcome ministry is not a single encounter but an ongoing relationship with people as they come and go through the ages and stages of life and of your church. Extend the welcome to planting roots and finding a forever home, in your church community and in the family of Christ, with ongoing encouragement in God's Word.
BONUS TIP: Communicate. Collaborate. Carry-on. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat
Use our Welcome Ministry Resources to walk your visitors through your doors.
Share Encouragement
Devotions for Visitors
You Belong Reminders
You Belong Bookmarks
A Welcome Prayer
Get Connected
Follow Up Occasion Card