Think about a visitor to your church; what should you do and (maybe more importantly) what should you not do? Most churches want visitors, but too often they do not have any idea how to help a visitor have a positive experience. Here are some things to think about with church visitors.

No-Nos

Let’s start with things you should not do.

• Don’t single out visitors during church services. Some churches have visitors stand (or have everyone else stand while visitors remain seated) so they can be greeted. Some sing a song or give a gift to visitors.  This makes a terribly awkward situation for visitors. It takes courage just to walk into a strange church building. Most visitors would rather crawl under the pew than have the entire congregation focused on them, even in a kind way.

• Don’t have church visitors to introduce themselves. Most visitors prefer to stay in the background and just watch during their first time to a service. There are some gregarious visitors who are happy to introduce themselves but they are the exception and not the rule. Mr. Outgoing Visitor is going to meet a lot of people anyway. They don’t need to be singled out and for most people this would be their worst fear realized.

Things You Should Do

Making church visitors comfortable can be many simple things such as, complete clear sign letting visitors know where they need to go, clean appealing entrances, and easy visitor parking. Nice grounds and facilities will not make a visitor feel welcomed because they can be sterile and lifeless without the necessity of friendly people, but if you DO NOT have attractive and inviting parking and grounds you have made it very hard to let your people show the friendliness and love they have for visitors. Here are some specific ideas to welcome visitors.

• Have specific Greeters trained to greet church visitors. Greeters should be friendly and outgoing. Look for the people in your congregation who are easy to talk to and have great social skills.

• Greet church visitors as they arrive. Greeters should introduce themselves, offer help, and show visitors where to go.

• Help with the children. Help visitors find the nursery facilities or Bible classes. Take them to these rooms help through the process of checking in or meeting the teachers. Don’t try to force them to take their baby to the nursery. Simply ask if they would like to.

• Show church visitors exactly where they should go. Church buildings may seem simple to navigate for members but remember it is a totally new place for the visitor. Show them exactly where the auditorium or Bible class is, and even direct them to a seat (not the front row!) if seating is limited or hard-to-find.

• Teach church members to talk to church visitors. You do not need to pin a rose or visitor badge on the guest. When visitors are accompanied by a greeter or have a Welcome Packet, church members should notice, come up, and introduce themselves and get to know the visitors. Talking to just two or three friendly church members goes a long way in make visitors feel welcomed.

• Send church visitors a thank you note. Send a handwritten note on Monday, thanking them for visiting and inviting them to return.

• Take interest in visitors as people, not simply as visitors. Find out more about them. See if they have needs, prayer request, or other things you can help with. Take interest in them before you tell them all about your congregation.

• Leave them alone. It is a fine line but church visitors hate to be smothered. After you have done the things mentioned above you can give them time to breathe and just look around. It takes a great deal of sensitivity to know what too much attention is and what is too little. It is more of an art than a science. Pray about it.

Big Picture for Church Visitors

Every church is different and areas of the country are different. The exact things you need to do for visitors will vary according to church size, location, church personality, and many more things. Your mileage may vary. But there are some things that do not change.

• Love is the key. Love each other in the congregation and love your church visitors as people.

• Who you are as a church is more important than what you do for visitors. These how-to tips on greeting church visitors do not make a great church for visitors. The tips here simply remove barriers so visitors can see what kind of people you are as a church. Visitors are extra sensitive to insincerity and hypocrisy. Being a loving, Biblical church is infinitely more important than clever visitor techniques.

• Keep the goal in mind. Your Greeters Ministry is to glorify God and help make disciples by carrying out the Great Commission. The goal is not simply to increase the size of your church. You do the things you to because they are right and pleasing to God.