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Making First Impressions Count
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Making First Impressions Count Authentically welcoming new people
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Making First Impressions Count. Authentically welcoming new people. Who am I?. Who are you?. Let ’ s take a moment to embody Christian hospitality and greet one another. Biblical view of hospitality. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of Making First Impressions Count
Making First Impressions Count
Authentically welcoming new people
Who am I?
Who are you?Let’s take a moment to embody Christian
hospitality and greet one another
Biblical view of hospitality
15 While Jesus was having dinner at Levi’s house, many tax collectors and sinners were eating with him and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. 16 When the teachers of the law who were Pharisees saw him eating with the sinners and tax collectors, they asked his disciples:
“Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?”
17 On hearing this, Jesus said to them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
Mark 2:15-17
How would you define a “genuine welcome?”
7 minutes
The Pre-Service
The Pre-Service is your first opportunity for interaction with everyone who sets foot on your church’s property - from guests to members.
What are you communicating before the service begins?
The Pre-Service
There are 4 areas of contact through which you can influence your guests during the pre-service that will go a long way to making the first impression count.
1) Greeted2) Directed3) Treated4) Seated
The Pre-Service
1) Greeted
“Everything speaks to first-time guests - everything.”
- Nelson Searcy
The Pre-Service
2) Directed
Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs...
- Five Man Electrical Band
The Pre-Service
3) Treated
What do guests want to feel when they visit your church for the first time?
The Pre-Service
4) Seated
Our goal is to remove barriers so that the message isn’t lost before it could be found.
What is your welcoming quotient?
Worksheet
Do you have a story of being genuinely
welcomed?
How did it make you FEEL?
A contemporary truth:
Many of us Christians go to church today with an attitude of a guest and not a HOST.
What’s the difference?
Genuine welcoming involves...
Genuinely welcoming churches are more than just friendly congregations.
A welcoming culture...
● People are accepted for who they are;
● People are supported in sharing their unique, God-given gifts;
What are some of the unique gifts of
those in your church?
What prevents a church from truly
welcoming newcomers?
To truly ‘Make a First Impression’
…....we have to understand a few things about our first-time visitors.
Four Must - Know Facts about First-Time Guests
1. Most church members are not friendly.
WHAT????
Do members greet guests with the same intensity before and after the service as they do during formal times of greeting during the service?
Four Must - Know Facts about First-Time Guests
2. Church guests are highly consumer-oriented
Utilize the mystery guest audit
Four Must - Know Facts about First-Time Guests
3. The church is in the hospitality business
Our ultimate purpose is spiritual, but hospitality is a first step.
Four Must - Know Facts about First-Time Guests
4. You only have one chance to make a good first impression
What is your church’s “WOW” factor?
Tips & IdeasLearning from each other
Let’s start at the very beginning
Utilize the Comfort Checklist and Walk Thru Assessment tools
Ideas to Consider
● Parking Lot Hosts● Look for good
listeners, not just outgoing people to serve as greeters. Hear the needs of the newcomer.
● Mentoring - a spiritual apprentice
● Expanding idea of hospitality outside of Sunday morning. Community partners, etc.
● 50 ways Handout● 24 hour contact rule● After service
refreshment time
Ideas to Consider, cont.
● Nametags for everyone!
● Child activity packet to use during worship
● Keep communication vehicles up to date
●Others? Let’s take time to share ideas.
Next Steps1. Assemble a team at your church/ministry2. Pray about who God is calling you to extend radical hospitality toward3. Be an example - extravagantly greet those you do not know on Sunday mornings.4. Find ways to include new people in your ministries or groups5. Extend Christian hospitality outside of the church walls.
Remember that churches are just like families. When there is conflict at home most people don’t invite guests over to watch. But when a family is healthy they offer the energy of faith, hope and love to one another and to many outsiders.
Lasting Impressions
