OUR VISITORS ARE IMPORTANT TO US
10 Facts to Fuel Your Hospitality Ministry
10 Facts to Fuel Your Hospitality Ministry by Will Mancini Your guests represent "step one" of accomplishing the Great Commission. Every month for the last decade, the Auxano team has conducted ministry observations during weekend services. We call it the Guest Perspective Evaluation. Here is why I keep this strategic component in Auxano’s toolbox. Okay, each reality by itself may not be mind blowing, but when you put them all together, the case is staggering and couldn’t be more compelling.
#1 You will have more guests in one year than you think. Our “information gathering” in churches doesn’t even capture the majority of guests. Auxano research shows that five to eight percent of your worshipping community will self-identify as guests. Therefore the number of guests in one year is:
[(Ave. weekly worship attendance) x (.05) x (52)]
#2 Many of your guests are going through situations that make them more responsive to God. These are the folks that are most likely to be moving, changing jobs, getting divorced, having kids, etc.
#3 Your guests are assessing very quickly whether or not they are coming back. This happens much faster than we think. For example, read The 11-Minute Difference.
#4 Your guests represent step one of accomplishing the Great Commission- these are the people coming to you! How much does your church spend on foreign missions? Compare that to how much we invest into the fish that swim to the boat before we cast a net.
#5 A guest who is attending may represent years of prayer, service, and invitation by a church member. My mom and I attended church without my father for 12 years. The first time my Dad came to church with us, imagine how I felt about the church and the hospitality of the people. All I could think was “Don’t screw up!”
#6 Studies show that guests will talk about their initial experiences 8-15 times with other people. Serve guests well and multiply your message.
#7 A welcoming ministry is a great “shallow end of the pool” to get people involved in service for the first time. Yes, you have plenty of intimidating places to serve like worship, small groups, and children’s ministry. So why not leverage an easy place to start?
#8 Building a great ministry to guests nourishes a culture of hospitality because of the concrete reminders to the entire congregation that guests matter.
#9 Investment in a welcoming ministry is an investment into every other ministry your church offers. I ask churches to dream about what ministry they might start. I then tell them to get it done by first having great guest services. Do you want an amazing prison ministry? Maybe the next Chuck Colson is visiting next week.
#10 We are commanded in Scripture to be hospitable. The Greek word philoxenia literally means to “love strangers” and is used in Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 12:3.
Will Mancini emerged from the trenches of local church leadership to found Auxano, a first-of-kind consulting ministry that focuses on vision clarity. As a “clarity evangelist,” Will has served as vision architect for hundreds of churches across the country, including such notable pastors as Chuck Swindoll and Max Lucado. Will holds a Th.M. in Pastoral Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary and has authored Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture and Create Movement; he also co-authored Building Leaders with Aubrey Malphurs.
10 Facts to Fuel Your Hospitality Ministry by Will Mancini Your guests represent "step one" of accomplishing the Great Commission. Every month for the last decade, the Auxano team has conducted ministry observations during weekend services. We call it the Guest Perspective Evaluation. Here is why I keep this strategic component in Auxano’s toolbox. Okay, each reality by itself may not be mind blowing, but when you put them all together, the case is staggering and couldn’t be more compelling.
#1 You will have more guests in one year than you think. Our “information gathering” in churches doesn’t even capture the majority of guests. Auxano research shows that five to eight percent of your worshipping community will self-identify as guests. Therefore the number of guests in one year is:
[(Ave. weekly worship attendance) x (.05) x (52)]
#2 Many of your guests are going through situations that make them more responsive to God. These are the folks that are most likely to be moving, changing jobs, getting divorced, having kids, etc.
#3 Your guests are assessing very quickly whether or not they are coming back. This happens much faster than we think. For example, read The 11-Minute Difference.
#4 Your guests represent step one of accomplishing the Great Commission- these are the people coming to you! How much does your church spend on foreign missions? Compare that to how much we invest into the fish that swim to the boat before we cast a net.
#5 A guest who is attending may represent years of prayer, service, and invitation by a church member. My mom and I attended church without my father for 12 years. The first time my Dad came to church with us, imagine how I felt about the church and the hospitality of the people. All I could think was “Don’t screw up!”
#6 Studies show that guests will talk about their initial experiences 8-15 times with other people. Serve guests well and multiply your message.
#7 A welcoming ministry is a great “shallow end of the pool” to get people involved in service for the first time. Yes, you have plenty of intimidating places to serve like worship, small groups, and children’s ministry. So why not leverage an easy place to start?
#8 Building a great ministry to guests nourishes a culture of hospitality because of the concrete reminders to the entire congregation that guests matter.
#9 Investment in a welcoming ministry is an investment into every other ministry your church offers. I ask churches to dream about what ministry they might start. I then tell them to get it done by first having great guest services. Do you want an amazing prison ministry? Maybe the next Chuck Colson is visiting next week.
#10 We are commanded in Scripture to be hospitable. The Greek word philoxenia literally means to “love strangers” and is used in Romans 12:13 and Hebrews 12:3.
Will Mancini emerged from the trenches of local church leadership to found Auxano, a first-of-kind consulting ministry that focuses on vision clarity. As a “clarity evangelist,” Will has served as vision architect for hundreds of churches across the country, including such notable pastors as Chuck Swindoll and Max Lucado. Will holds a Th.M. in Pastoral Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary and has authored Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture and Create Movement; he also co-authored Building Leaders with Aubrey Malphurs.
Greeting as Ministry
Charles Arn
How the usher/greeter's role fits into the ministry of the church.
Phillip Johnson, one of the more widely-acclaimed American architects, designed several noteworthy buildings in the country, including the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. According to Johnson, the most important part of any structure is the "goes-into." The "goes-into" is that part or place where a person "goes-into" the experience or the building.
The "goes-into" in a building is what:
The communication that occurs in the first four minutes of human contact is so crucial that it almost always determines whether strangers will remain strangers or become acquaintances and perhaps friends. If this is true, and it applies to all who walk through our church doors, what an opportunity and challenge it provides to greeters! Those church members who welcome the people God has brought to church have the chance to positively influence these important vistors in those first crucial minutes. In the process, it is the greeters who often hold the key to whether guests return.
As Christians, and especially as greeters, we are representing Christ. Colossians 3:17says, "And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of Jesus Christ." We're reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that "We are Christ's ambassadors." What is an ambassador? The dictionary definition is: "A diplomatic official of the highest rank, appointed and accredited as a representative." Wow! We are representative officials of the highest rank! That's what being a greeter is all about—representing Jesus Christ in that first important connection.
In the first greeter's class I organized, the participants were asked the questions: "As a greeter, how do we want our guests to feel?" "What is our primary responsibility?" "We are the first contact—why are we here?" "What are we trying to achieve?" Here were some of their answers …
If we agree that making people feel loved, appreciated, and important is a primary objective as a greeter, the next question would be, how do we go about doing that? I asked a similar question to my firstgreeeter's class: "How can we show people we are genuinely interested in them?" "How can we show people that we care?" Here were some of their responses:
Someone once said, "The world is divided into guests and hosts." You probably know people who are perpetual guests. They never take the responsibility of a host for people's needs, feelings, concerns, comfort, or hospitality. They seem to exist to be served not to serve—others are always responsible to take care of them. When walking into a room, they seem to say, "Well, here I am. What are you going to do about it?" instead of saying, "Well, look who's here. It's great to see you! How have you been?"
When we become a Christian, we are no longer a guest in this world. We become partners with God in hosting life for others. And what do hosts do? They welcome people into their lives. Their first concern is that their guests enjoy themselves and feel acceptance and love. They make their guests feel welcome. They make their guests feel important. Can you recall when someone was an outstanding host for you? A good host is not a position or a task. It is a self-image … a mindset … a lifestyle; especially in God's house.
This is what greeting is really all about. It is a ministry for every Christian. And, frankly, while our focus here is on what happens around the church doors, it doesn't stop there. Greeting—being an ambassador, a representative—should carry into every phase of our lives, as Christ-imitators. If our conversation involves patient listening, empathy, understanding, willingness to be vulnerable, sharing our experiences, and being sensitive to areas of need and interest with our guests, we will become people that others truly cannot resist. Without a doubt, they will want to be in our company and, more importantly, in the company of Jesus.
—Charles Arn is president of Church Growth, Inc. (Monrovia, California); © 2012 Christianity Today/BuildingChurchLeaders.com.
Discuss
Charles Arn
How the usher/greeter's role fits into the ministry of the church.
Phillip Johnson, one of the more widely-acclaimed American architects, designed several noteworthy buildings in the country, including the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. According to Johnson, the most important part of any structure is the "goes-into." The "goes-into" is that part or place where a person "goes-into" the experience or the building.
The "goes-into" in a building is what:
- the tee shot is to golf …
- the opening is to a speech …
- the overture is to a symphony …
- the first impression is to a new relationship.
The communication that occurs in the first four minutes of human contact is so crucial that it almost always determines whether strangers will remain strangers or become acquaintances and perhaps friends. If this is true, and it applies to all who walk through our church doors, what an opportunity and challenge it provides to greeters! Those church members who welcome the people God has brought to church have the chance to positively influence these important vistors in those first crucial minutes. In the process, it is the greeters who often hold the key to whether guests return.
As Christians, and especially as greeters, we are representing Christ. Colossians 3:17says, "And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of Jesus Christ." We're reminded in 2 Corinthians 5:20 that "We are Christ's ambassadors." What is an ambassador? The dictionary definition is: "A diplomatic official of the highest rank, appointed and accredited as a representative." Wow! We are representative officials of the highest rank! That's what being a greeter is all about—representing Jesus Christ in that first important connection.
In the first greeter's class I organized, the participants were asked the questions: "As a greeter, how do we want our guests to feel?" "What is our primary responsibility?" "We are the first contact—why are we here?" "What are we trying to achieve?" Here were some of their answers …
- to meet people's needs
- to put people at ease
- to make people feel our genuine interest
- to make people feel at home
- to make people feel comfortable
- to meet new friends
- to make people feel needed
- to make people want to come back
- to make people feel loved
- to make people feel sincerity
- to keep the ones we have happy
- to make people feel important
- to do pre-evangelism
If we agree that making people feel loved, appreciated, and important is a primary objective as a greeter, the next question would be, how do we go about doing that? I asked a similar question to my first
- a warm handshake
- a smile
- to listen
- talk in terms of their interests
- remember their names
- maintain eye contact
- touch appropriately
Someone once said, "The world is divided into guests and hosts." You probably know people who are perpetual guests. They never take the responsibility of a host for people's needs, feelings, concerns, comfort, or hospitality. They seem to exist to be served not to serve—others are always responsible to take care of them. When walking into a room, they seem to say, "Well, here I am. What are you going to do about it?" instead of saying, "Well, look who's here. It's great to see you! How have you been?"
When we become a Christian, we are no longer a guest in this world. We become partners with God in hosting life for others. And what do hosts do? They welcome people into their lives. Their first concern is that their guests enjoy themselves and feel acceptance and love. They make their guests feel welcome. They make their guests feel important. Can you recall when someone was an outstanding host for you? A good host is not a position or a task. It is a self-image … a mindset … a lifestyle; especially in God's house.
This is what greeting is really all about. It is a ministry for every Christian. And, frankly, while our focus here is on what happens around the church doors, it doesn't stop there. Greeting—being an ambassador, a representative—should carry into every phase of our lives, as Christ-imitators. If our conversation involves patient listening, empathy, understanding, willingness to be vulnerable, sharing our experiences, and being sensitive to areas of need and interest with our guests, we will become people that others truly cannot resist. Without a doubt, they will want to be in our company and, more importantly, in the company of Jesus.
—Charles Arn is president of Church Growth, Inc. (Monrovia, California); © 2012 Christianity Today/BuildingChurchLeaders.com.
Discuss
- In what specific ways do ushers and greeters represent Christ in their roles?
- Do you agree with the list of how you want your guests to feel? What would you add or delete?
- What does it mean to be a host in the church setting?