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How do you make your church a welcoming place for newcomers?

Rich Nathan responds in our Ask the Experts discussion.

Topics:	Visitors & guests
Filters:	Greeter, Hospitality, Outreach, Pastor, Usher, Volunteer, Worship
Date Added:	February 01, 2012

Total Reader Responses: 1 (see below)

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At Vineyard Columbus we strive to make our church a welcoming place for newcomers by emphasizing the following things:

Our Building - We have designed our building to communicate warmth and welcome. For example, we communicate welcome with visible signage and artwork at the entrance of our property. We provide reserved spaces for first time guests as well as the handicapped community. Our architecture has open and bright spaces for people to meet with our pastors and a café to meet with one another before and after weekend services. The design of our auditorium is simple, yet functional, and has cry rooms with a direct view of the pastor who is preaching to accommodate families with small children.

Our Services - We have special classes for children and young adults who are autistic or have severe learning disabilities as well as sign language for the deaf, special bulletins for the visually impaired and gluten-free communion for the gluten-intolerant. We translate our services into Spanish and Portuguese.

Interpersonal touches - Greeters and/or ushers accommodate newcomers with warm welcomes, bulletins, and seating assistance in the auditorium. We strive to make sure each person receives a touch (eye contact, greeting, and smile) before, during and after services.

Worship Service - Our service format includes a verbal welcome and a gift to guests of a worship CD and an option to provide information for follow up.

Response/Follow Up - When guests turn in the response card, Hospitality ministry volunteers welcome them personally and answer any questions they may have. Our guest assimilation process begins immediately following our last Sunday service

Heart - Hospitality is a gift of the Holy Spirit and reflection of the love of Christ in our hearts. We express this love by hosting a Sunday lunch twice a month for newcomers, a new-members class where an introduction to the church is provided, and an encouragement to our members to invite newcomers to their small group.

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Ralph Long (Guest)

Posted: February 03, 2012

As a former church consultant, having worked with many churches, of all types, across the country, I can tell you that while most churches THINK they are friendly MOST ARE NOT. The churches that really are friendly, and doing a superlative job with visitor retention, are the ones that make their greeters and assimilation ministry an extremely high priority ministry EVERY BIT AS IMPORTANT AS worship, education, counseling or any of the other "core" minstries. This includes training, team building, removing non perormers, and etc of the people on the greeting / assimilation teams.