Beyond Hospitality to Inclusion
David Brubaker says that most congregations are quick to welcome newcomers but slow to extend a much deeper form of acceptance — genuine inclusion in…
Browsing: Hospitality
Articles
Pet Peeves of a Church Visitor
Churches need their most positive, smiling, warmest personalities on their front lines, says Greg Atkinson. Your parking lot team, greeters, ushers, and welcome desk volunteers…
7 Ways to Help Unchurched Guests Feel Welcome without Selling Out
Making new people feel welcome isn’t a sell out to a marketing and customer service mentality, says Rich Birch. It’s consistent with Scripture’s overarching theme…
Is Your Coffee Hour Chaotic Enough?
Researcher Kirk Hadaway has discovered that coffee hour in rapidly growing Episcopal churches is different than in the average congregation. It tends to be more…
Your Building Has More Signs Than You Think
Your building has way more signs than you think it does: The locked front door, the boxes piled up in corners that assault the newcomer’s…
The Tardy Guest
In an ideal world, everyone would arrive 10 to 15 minutes early for worship. They would greet five people as they walk toward the building…
All Are (Not) Welcome
Church people might see themselves as welcoming, because they run promotions claiming, “Our doors are open,” and “Our lights are on,” or maybe they hang…
Ten Best Practice Tips for Hospitality Teams
1. Remembering names is important! We all know the value of calling a person by name. We all know how good it feels when someone…
Are Young Singles Invisible in Church?
St. Bartholomew’s is a friendly congregation. It has always perceived and represented itself as a warm and caring community and is the home to some…
Host Bridge Events to Reach New People
One of the disciplines of a disciple of Jesus Christ is to establish relationships with people we do not know — the unconnected — therefore…
