During the month of August at Mt. Carmel we talked about breaking out of our “comfort zone” and moving across the room, the street, or even the aisle at church to develop new friendships.
In that vein, I came across a new book (ordered it, haven’t read it yet) that looks to be very practical— How to Wow Your Church Guests: 101 Ways to Make a Meaningful First Impression.
Here are some of my favorites…
- #77 Bust Up Your Party. Don’t do the holy huddle where you talk to each other and forget guests are there. Sometimes, even our greeters do this!
- #89 Shut Up Already. You guessed it—this chapter is all about listening.
- #12 Names = Value. Now that is just downright convicting. It’s important to ask, to remember names. It means you care.
- #54 Talk Normal. Don’t have a bunch of cutesy names for your ministries or activities.
- #30 Don’t Give People the Finger. When asked for directions, don’t just point the way. Take a minute, walk them to their desired location, have a conversation along the way.
- #19 Remember the Introverts. Not everyone wants their hand grabbed 13 times on their way to church. Give people some space.
I think we do a fairly good job most Sundays making folks feel welcome. But we can always do better! I’d be interested in your ideas about how we can be a “friendlier,” more welcoming church.
Question: What do you think we could do to make a meaningful and lasting impression?