Every church in America wants guests to visit their church on a weekend. I do not know of any church who does not initially want guests to visit, but most churches do very little with the guests when they come. For most, they rely heavily on a “turn around and greet someone” moment in the order of service to attract guests. Some rely on having the guests stand or stay seated in a point of a service to attract them. This post is not necessarily about attracting guests, but it is a post from my observations of what guests need when they visit. This will help you with how you handle guests when they visit your church on a weekend.
- Guests want Acceptance – Guests need to be accepted regardless of who they are, what they look like, or the baggage that they carry. Guests should be feel accepted in your church.
- Guests want to enter quietly and leave quietly – Although they are searching for relationships and meaning in life, for the most part, guests want to enter quietly and leave quietly. They do not want to be embarrassed, and they do not want to be noticed by everyone. It is awkward for guests.
- Guests desire friendships – When guests enter a new church with the thought of eventually joining the church, they want friendships. It is essential that you have friendly people who genuinely care for guests be a part of your guest services team. Encourage your guest services team to connect with these guests during the week for dinner or coffee.
- Guests desire security for their kids – We started a new church recently and this is overwhelmingly evident. Make sure your kids ministry is done at a high level and is very secure.
- Guests want to be greeted, but not by 50 people – Some churches go overboard with their greeters and it can be overwhelming to a first time guests. Find the healthy balance, because greeters are important and essential, but do not overwhelm first time guests.
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