Recently traveling in the Florida Everglades, my family and I stopped at a roadside attraction that took us back to when people lived at a slower pace. Like the established church, which has seen better days, this attraction had an old-world charm, like stepping back in a time warp.
One of the high-walled exhibits along the crushed-shelled walk with a fence around it had a sign that read, “Turtles,” yet inside the enclosure were alligators. The identification sign and the actual message were two different things. Today, there are conflicting messages that churches are putting out, saying they want guests, but not preparing or even acting like they want them to attend.
This small lesson of the wrong sign with the wrong attraction reminds us that the church’s message to the outside world should not conflict with the inside experience of a guest.
Make Sure the Message and the Method Match.
The sign on the exhibit reminded me of a bait-and-switch that many churches unintentionally use on potential guests. For instance, on the church’s website, a church might use stock photos of diverse people and families with children, and then when a guest arrives, finds the congregation less diverse and has no children.
Ensure the message the church shares on its website, social media pages, and in-person equals the experience guests will encounter when they arrive. In days gone by, people would check out a church by showing up; now, they pull up social media pages to see what the church offers. Today, potential guests will review all media avenues to see before they attend the local church, so make sure the message and the method match.
Think about your local church this way. What messages are the church’s media pages sending to prospective guests? What needs to be changed or positively highlighted to let future guests know more about the church? The thought and work you put into this area will help your church retain more guests, as they will already know what to expect when they arrive.
Create a Community of Care.
When a guest walks into the foyer (lobby or narthex) for the first time, what will they experience? Guests are looking for direction and connection. Ensure there is someone there who not only opens the door with a friendly smile for them but provides recommendations for the next steps. If the family has children, let them know where the children check-in is or where their classroom might be. Better yet, walk them over, help them check in their children, and point out the restrooms or other areas you feel they need to know about as you interact with them. Help your guests feel welcomed and valued as part of their visit. Sadly, a few door greeters do a great job greeting but leave a guest alone. Follow through to create a community of care for guests by caring for them from the moment they enter the foyer until they leave.
Think about the next steps as a guest comes into the foyer. Do you have a person or a team of people to help direct, guide, and provide the answers to the questions that guests might have? Can someone walk them through check-in for children, show them to the sanctuary, and invite them to sit next to them so they have a community connection right away? This could be an excellent place for the friendliest people inside your church to minister and to reinforce to a guest that your church cares about their visit.
Focus on First Impressions.
In a post-Christian world, the church has difficulty connecting with marginalized Christians and non-Christians in the community as never before. The church’s goal is gospel connections, but many established churches focus on connecting with members and forgetting about future guest connections. You have probably heard that first impressions are lasting impressions. What must you do to make a positive first impression if that is the case?
Some of the primary things that a guest will look for is signage. Is there updated clear signage for guests entering the church building, as many established churches have multiple entrances? Once guests enter the foyer, ensure signage directs them to the sanctuary, restrooms, classrooms, guest check-in, etc. Make sure it’s big enough to be seen from across the room and not just up close as a guest will scan the room looking for next steps if a church member has not helped them.
Review the building through the lens of your guests’ eyes. Remove outdated material and replace torn or well-worn furniture, carpets, and signage. Paint and update high-traffic areas. Clean out the backs of the pews and remove any debris from last week’s service while observing what guests might notice on the platform from where they might sit, as the church’s goal is to provide a clean, welcoming space for guests. When you position the church through guests’ eyes, these little steps will have a big payoff.
Follow Up with Personal Touches.
After guests visit for the first time, how do you follow up with them? Develop steps that continue to create connections guests by developing a four-step process.
Step 1. Get contact information.
Ensure your connection card asks for basic information such as name, address, email address, phone number, and if they want to receive text messages. The goal is to connect with a person in the future, not to explore their life history, so keep the connection cards simple.
Step 2: Connect during the week twice.
Send a letter signed by the pastor with a handwritten note that thanks them for coming. On Saturday, have someone from the church office call or text, inviting them back to church the next day.
Step 3: Member Connects
During the second week after the first visit, have a member from the greeting team send a handwritten card thanking the person for attending and inviting them back to an upcoming event at the church.
Step 4: Saturday Night Call or Text
It has now been two weeks since the first visit and the fourth contact from the church. Have a different member from the greeting team call or text on Saturday night inviting the person back to church.
These are a few ways to get the church ready for guests. In a disconnected world, these steps provide tangible connection points between the church and guests, letting them know the church values their visit. If a church is proactive, guests will see the care put in place, and the church will win more first-time guests overtime than lose.