Guests

Before COVID-19 arrived on the scene, we shared announcements and sermon outlines in a bulletin, special event information on fliers, and information about our church for a new guest in Guest Welcome Packets. 

But COVID-19 has forced us to reevaluate all of our processes in an effort to keep our congregation safe, and that leaves us wondering: Is it safe to distribute paper handouts to members and guests? 

Halloween can be a controversial topic in church circles. Some choose not to celebrate the holiday because of its associations with the devil, paganism, and evil. Many churches choose to not take a firm stance on the holiday, but encourage families to do what they think is best for their own children.

What does your guest experience actually look like for guests? Is it complicated and convoluted with too many assumptions? Or is it seamless and welcoming? Here are a few tips to make your guest ministry simple for guests while being complex enough to keep track of everything.

Many church budgets are tight enough as it is—how are you supposed to fit in a guest ministry line item when you have bills and salaries and coffee to pay for?

Guest ministries are a vital follow-up to your outreach efforts, and they sustain churches for growth in years to come by retaining guests and turning them into disciples.

College is a formative time for many young adults. During those four-ish years, students grow an immeasurable amount. Unfortunately, this is also a time many people fall away from the faith. Without their parents or their home church around, students often slowly stop engaging in a Christian community.

The guest experience really starts before they pull into the parking lot. The first impression that happens on Sunday has been influenced and informed by what happens on the other six days of the week. Is your church ready to make a great first impression before your guests even set foot on your campus?

Your church undoubtedly invested plenty of time and energy into making Easter a great experience and celebration of Jesus’ sacrifice for your members and newcomers.

Just like football has its “Super Day” every year, many churches view Easter Sunday as their “Super Day” for reaching out to the community. People who only come a few times a year are getting their “Sunday Best” ready and you want them at your church!

As the generational switch in leadership continues to take place, more and more churches are evaluating whether or not their lobby is the inviting space they want, or a holdover from a past era.

Guests come to your church for many reasons, with many different interests and goals. That means they’ll have different questions they need answered as they decide to join your church.