Welcoming Guests to the Assembly

[John Dobbs]

Although I perceive this site is more about the stuff going on outside of the assembly than within, I do think it is important to welcome those who venture into our doors. This is a repost from my blog:

My mother is here visiting with us and we are enjoying that so much! Since she’s an original trekkie, I took her to see the new Star Trek movie. We both enjoyed it so much! Afterward we were looking for someplace to get a bite to eat. I noticed a new sign advertising a little cafe that recently opened next to a coffee shop. We decided to give it a try.

At first we tried to go into the cafe, but that door was locked. One of the patrons who was sitting outside at a table informed us that we had to through the coffee shop. So we went in through the coffee shop. No one spoke to us and it wasn’t obvious where we were to go. We wandered into the cafe. As I recall it didn’t look much like a cafe. There were some people there working on something behind the counter but they never looked up. So we stood there a few minutes and then wandered back into the coffee shop. A very nice young lady asked us if she could help us. I told her we were there for lunch and asked if we could see a menu. She then informed us that the cafe was closed. We left the coffee shop in search of a more substantial foodsource!

I don’t know about you, but I always feel so lost going into a new building or facility. Having no familiarity with how things work or where things are is a very uncomfortable feeling. I’m not interested in critiquing the new cafe. Maybe I’ll stop by there another time. But I am interested in comparing that experience to someone who walks into a church assembly for the first time.

Which one of these mistakes made by the cafe are made at your church every week?

*Is there a lack of clearly marked hours / meeting times?

*Are there maps / directions to the areas in which you are interested. (classes, restrooms, etc.)?

*When strangers walk in, does everyone continue in their conversations?

*By the time someone greets your guest, have they already wished they weren’t there - and made up their mind not to return?

*Is the process / flow of what is expected explained or available?

*Is the guest at your church offered some time with someone who wants to serve them, or are they almost a bother to you?

*What efforts are made to turn the first time guest into a returning friend?

Maybe you can come up with some other questions. I’d love to hear your thoughts about welcoming, loving, serving, and developing relationships with your guests. Have you ever been to a church that turned out kinda like that cafe experience? What do you think a guest expects as they walk into your doors for the first time? Is that a reasonable expectation?

On Twitter Randy Vaughn asked: Could we say the same thing about our church websites?

Wow! I hadn’t thought of that! Twitterers follow Randyh @marketingtwins, web HERE.

I'd like to hear your thoughts! John Dobbs

[James Nored]

Hey John. Good points here. While you speak of people entering into the building rather than of us going out, these are still appropriate missional questions. Why? Because welcoming the stranger is an essential part of hospitality and comes from a love of people.

Take another setting, our home. We would not say that because our neighbor knocks on our door, rather than us knocking on their door, that we have ceased to be missional and ought to ignore them. I say this because some in the movement are so anti-seeker movement that they almost seem to want to be rude to outsiders.

Being missional is a constant mindset, and while yes, some things are more directly related to mission than others, it is not something that we ever set aside.

The fact is that the worship assembly is still an entry point for some people. For all kinds of reasons, we need to be as welcoming as possible. I have to say, however, that this is much more easily done in small to mid-sized churches. It is very difficult in a large church.

Thanks for the Twitter tip!

[John Dobbs]

Thanks James. I think this site is important. Thanks for your work on it.

[James Nored]

John, we're honored to have you on it. We've got some exciting partnerships that we developing here at MON with people from Coachnet, Mission Alive, church planters, and others. This will give us some consistent great content to help with the movement. You have really been a great encouragement to me, and a great resource person! Let me know if there is some subject that you would like to regularly contribute to.

[Chris Walker]

I wrote a list called 20 Blunders in Welcoming Visitors, as part of a 10 part hospitality series at Evangelismcoach.org

This kind of work is still important as people make their way to a church as a visitor, whether they are someone looking for answers or a believer looking for a new church to contribute their time and gifts and calling.

Chris walker
EvangelismCoach.org
@Evangelismcoach

[Sarah]

We don't often visit other congregations, and when we do, it's usually the church of our parents or friends. So of course, we are greeted warmly.

Yesterday, we visited a church as we dropped our kids off at camp. We were nicely dressed. We're in our 40's. For the record, we're white....not that that should make ANY difference, but we know it does for some people. Nothing different or weird about us. They should be nice to us, right? Well, we went to Bible class and sat there for a good 15 minutes. It started late and everyone around us was having such a nice time talking and laughing. Not ONE person spoke to us. We are long-time members of this "denomination", so I was able to put myself in their shoes, realizing that sometimes we get caught up talking to the same buddies each week. But despite understanding, I felt awkward, out of place and unwanted.

I can't imagine how I would feel if I were searching for Jesus and chose this church to try to meet Him. How can we reach others for Jesus if we treat our visitors like this? We should have been the center of attention before that class started, especially if it were discovered that we were un-churched. Instead, by the time the actual lesson started, I was not open-minded, but a little ticked off. If we were moving to this community, I'm not sure I would go back to this congregation to give them another chance.

[John Dobbs]

Amen Sarah... thanks for sharing this. I've had the same experience .... and it is a terrible feeling.

Sarah said:

We don't often visit other congregations, and when we do, it's usually the church of our parents or friends. So of course, we are greeted warmly.

Yesterday, we visited a church as we dropped our kids off at camp. We were nicely dressed. We're in our 40's. For the record, we're white....not that that should make ANY difference, but we know it does for some people. Nothing different or weird about us. They should be nice to us, right? Well, we went to Bible class and sat there for a good 15 minutes. It started late and everyone around us was having such a nice time talking and laughing. Not ONE person spoke to us. We are long-time members of this "denomination", so I was able to put myself in their shoes, realizing that sometimes we get caught up talking to the same buddies each week. But despite understanding, I felt awkward, out of place and unwanted.

I can't imagine how I would feel if I were searching for Jesus and chose this church to try to meet Him. How can we reach others for Jesus if we treat our visitors like this? We should have been the center of attention before that class started, especially if it were discovered that we were un-churched. Instead, by the time the actual lesson started, I was not open-minded, but a little ticked off. If we were moving to this community, I'm not sure I would go back to this congregation to give them another chance.

[Darin Hamm]

John,

Interesting discussion. I think a lot will depend on where they are. Already Christian versus not. How did they get to your building. Friend invite them or just come from the street.

I find that already Christians have a very different expectation when they come versus someone who is away from God.