The Winsome Church 2

Last week I shared the first blog about how a church can become a winsome church. In other words, a place where visitors feel welcome and members can feel exited about inviting their friends. Let me start this one with a true story about how not to do it.

A few years ago I was invited to speak at my mother's church for Mother's Day. It was an honor because I had attended there from ages 6 to 12. The service was just as I remembered it from 40 years before: same songs, same organ, even the same organist. It was also the same people, not nearly as many as before. I was one of the younger ones attending that day. Everyone was very nice to me, but after the service, I had an opportunity to stand off to the side as coffee was served. The people were encouraged to chat for a few minutes. I noticed couple was standing there with two children, and I could tell, by their shyness that they were new, and by their dress they were from the neighborhood which had run down over the years. Literally, no one spoke to this couple. As they left, I heard the 80 something year-old church secretary say to one of the other old timers, "What were they here for?" Obviously, she was unimpressed with their jeans, and their tatoos. The end of this story is that about 18 months later the Bishop closed the church. It had literally died, as had so many of the old timers.

This could never happen at your church. Are you sure? What are you doing to prevent it from happening? Here are a few ideas:

Before and after church, it is important for old friends to put off their conversations until the guests have been thoroughly welcomed. In fact, the church should be intentional and strategic about welcoming visitors. From the moment he comes on the church property the new person should begin to realize that you planned for his arrival, and you want him to be with you. It starts outside the front door, with a greeter offering a warm hello, and help with the door. Actually, it should start in the parking lot, especially if it is large one, or if it is not near the main entrance.

Once inside the building, greeters should be outgoing people. This is not the job for someone who is afraid of people, or for the one with offensive personal habits. The greeter, or the welcoming team, should be able to direct guests to the nursery, the children's area, and the youth area, as well as the worship room. Most of all, they should know where the restrooms are. Greeters should find out who invited the guest and try to help the new person connect with their inviter. If that is not possible. introduce them to someone else in the church. Be sensitive, some folks want to slip in with little notice. Don't force anyone to do anything. The point is for the guest to feel accepted, comfortable and loved. If the church has a welcome center, it should be manned early, and attractive welcome packets should be available.

As a backup to personal contact, the church should have good signage. I am amazed that many churches don't have signs at all. The sign should be sure to tell the worship times. Guest parking signs should be posted at the best parking places. (Staff, board members, and other members who want the church to be welcoming to guests should park at the back of the lot to leave room for guests.) The main entrance must be easily identifiable. Inside the building, there should be signs directing guests to the welcome center, the restrooms, the nursery and the worship room. Don't take for granted that new people will be able to find anything. If your church was built in the before very recently it may be difficult for people to even find the right door to enter. How embarassing it is for a guest family to find itself wandering all alone in strange building, and their six year-old needs to find the rest room, now! Remember, signs are to back up personal contact, not take the place of it.

The whole idea is for first experience of someone you may, or may not have invited, to be as comfortable as you can possibly make it.