A welcoming church environment is one of the many things that makes new church members and existing members feel comfortable enough to join and stay in a church. Romans 15:7 says “Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you,” for the glory of God. Here are 16 ways churches can create a welcoming environment.
1. Friendly Greeters
Position friendly and approachable greeters at the entrance to welcome attendees with a warm smile and a happy mood. Their positive attitude sets the tone for the visitor’s experience and makes them want to come again. Romans 16:16 – “Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the churches of Christ greet you.” to show how important greetings is in a congregation.
2. Clear Signage
Ensure easy-to-read and clear signage that direct people to key areas in the church compound such as the sanctuary, adult Sunday school department, youth sunday school department, restrooms, children’s church, fellowship halls, e.t.c. This will help visitors to navigate through these areas with easy and they can easily find their way around the church.
3. Comfortable Seating
Provide a very comfortable seatings and ensure the seating arrangement promotes a sense of togetherness and makes it easy for people to engage in worship and fellowship. There are many ways of making a sitting arrangement comfortable for members based on the size of the members, kind of service being held, e.t.c.
4. General Language
Always use general and understandable language when communicating during services and special meeting with church members. Using a specialized language during service makes church members especially first timers feels like the communication or the message is for some specific set of people and it dosent make them feel comfortable sitting under such atmosphere. All churches should by all means avoid using jargon that might be unfamiliar to newcomers and try to make everyone feel included in the conversation.
5. Child-Friendly Spaces
Every parent will always feel comfortable where their child(s) fells the same. Children are generally know to occupy more space in churches not because they are big but because they want to be everywhere. Create a safe, spacious and engaging spaces for children with activities and programs that will make them feel engaged, comfortable and welcomed. A well run children’s department will always bring the family back to the church.
6. Accessible Facilities
There are churches that lock their restrooms and whenever you want to make use of it you will have to see the person in charge to open it for you, Dont expect to see a first timer that went through such stress just to use the restroom again in your church, Ensure your church basic facilities are accessible to everyone, including those with disabilities. This includes restrooms, and seating areas that accommodate wheelchairs.
7. Welcome gift
1Peter 4:9 (ESV) “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling” Prepare a welcome package for hospitality to new members and occasionally to all members. Churches can also strategically package gift alongside with information about the church mission, programs, upcoming events, and ways to get involved. The purpose is to make existing members and first timers feel welcomed, informed and connected.
8. Follow-Up with Visitors
Following up with existing and new members makes them feel welcomed whenever they are in the church premises. What’s makes it more effective is when a church is following up in a modernize and digital method. Churches should develop a digital follow-up system to reach out to visitors after their first visit and also send personalized sms, emails, or make phone calls to thank them for coming and invite them back.
9. Hospitality Team
Form a hospitality team dedicated to creating a welcoming environment, making sure that all members fell comfortable by attending to them and reporting to the right department if its something they cant handle. Their role can include greeting, follow-ups, and organizing social events to make new members feel among. The purpose of this to make some set of people responsible for the welfare of church members and first timers
10. Volunteer Opportunities
Being involved in different church activities is one on the ways church members feels welcomed and comfortable in church premises. Churches should offer different volunteer opportunities that allows first timers and existing members to get involved and feel a sense of purpose. Engaging in church activities helps build connections and a sense of belonging.
11. Diverse Programs
Members have different choice and interest in different programs based on their conviction and personal belief, Organizing variety of programs and activities that cater to different interests and age groups, such as Bible studies, youth groups, house fellowship and support groups. This ensures everyone finds a place to connect and its makes them feel more welcomed.
12. Engaging Sermons
It is true that sermon is a spiritual material to feed our spirit but the strategy of the gospel that all churches need to put to place is the strategy of engagement, If church members do not feel engaged they will hardly listen to the sermon and if they do not list there is a probability that they wont come back. Before Jesus Chrish started the ministry of preaching he first introduce the ministry of miracle so people can be engaged and when they are listening to the sermon, they already know the preacher knows what we need to here. Ensure sermons are relevant, engaging, and applicable to everyday life. This helps people relate to the message and feel that their attendance is valuable.
13. Active Social Media Presence
An informed members that is already aware of the update and current activity going on in church will always feel relaxed and welcomed compared to a member that everything happening looks strange to. It is best to maintain an active and engaging social media presence so church can share updates,special announcements, photos, and stories that reflect the churchs welcoming atmosphere and engage with followers online.
15. Comfortable Atmosphere
Churches should make sure that church environment is physically and spiritually comfortable. A physically comfortable church is a church that take physical hygine serious and spiritually comfortable church is the church that dosent allows anything’s that distract worship, prayer or any spiritual activities near the church premises. It is also good to maintain a pleasant temperature, good lighting, and clean facilities to enhance the overall experience.
16. Feedback and Improvement
There is nothing to fix if there is no feedback. Churches should regularly get feedback from visitors and members about their experience on the general church activities or on a particular program so they can use the information to make necessary improvements and continually enhance the welcoming environment.
Carrotsuite Church CRM automatically welcome new members to your church via email and sms, this gives your first timers an excellent first impression about your church and it makes them trust the orderliness and want to come again.
