How do you make the least number of mistakes with visitors to church?

[Greg Gates]

I am having a terrible time following up on visitors to our church. I can't/don't get their names; I don't do much of anything when I do; and it's all pretty pitiful.

Could you please tell me what's the best I could do in following up with a visitor so that if it's God's plan for them to become a part of our church I won't mess it up?

Thanks.

[Roy Richardson]

I have developed and led visitor ministries in 2 different churches and my advice is to be intentional. Find a committed group of people who are like-minded, train them with your expectations of visitors, and encourage the daylights out of them. A good multi-part form can be helpful as well.

I could post more if you want, or I can email you the instructions we use with our group if you would like.

[Jon Twitchell]

I have developed and led visitor ministries in 2 different churches and my advice is to be intentional. Find a committed group of people who are like-minded, train them with your expectations of visitors, and encourage the daylights out of them. A good multi-part form can be helpful as well.

I could post more if you want, or I can email you the instructions we use with our group if you would like.

Please post more... if you are willing... :)

[Roy Richardson]

Please post more... if you are willing... :)

You asked for it :eek:

Here is what is distributed to our leaders.

A Key to Guest Ministry
A key to guest ministry is meeting new friends and developing significant relationships. God created us for a relationship with Him. Sin broke that relationship and Jesus restored that relationship once again through His death and resurrection. God also gave us each other for mutual encouragement, support, and love as we grow in our relationship to Him (part of discipling).
• Relationships fit us together.
• Relationships hold us together.
• Relationships are used by the Holy Spirit to help us grow spiritually.
• Relationships provide a means to share the message of Jesus Christ with others.
• Relationships release ministry.

Guest Ministry Sunday Goals
• Meet together as a team for encouragement, love, and a time of prayer.
• Greet the first time attenders as well as others. Make a new friend and pray for those new people you have met.
• Keep your eyes open for a miracle opportunity.
• Make a friend.
• Continue to develop a relationship with a guest. Introduce them to the rest of your team and the staff.
• Meet with your team for sharing of the morning's experience and prayer time.

Guest Ministry Sunday Procedures
• Meet as a team at 10:30 a.m. for prayer. The area near the kindergarten room or the cafeteria works well for that. Pray for the people coming in that day whom you will meet. Ask that God will open your eyes and ears to their needs, spoken or unspoken. Pray that their hearts and minds will be open to the leading of the Lord during the service
• By 10:45, be back in the multi-purpose room. Divide yourselves so that both sides of the room are covered and begin greeting everyone in the section to which you are assigned.
• Have guest cards with you. Give them out to guests after greeting them and asking them the following questions:
Hi, my name is __________________, what’s your name?
How long have you been coming here?
Is there anything I can pray about with you?
• The questions should flow naturally as part of the conversation, and not be rushed. People want to know that you are genuinely interested in them, and taking time to have an authentic conversation is one way to foster a relationship. Be prepared to pray with them if they ask. God has done amazing things in these divine appointments.
• After giving them the card, and a pen, ask them to put the card into the offering plate at the end of the service.
• After the offering is collected, meet as a team in the back of the multi-purpose room and check the offering plate for guest cards. Team Leaders, this is where you need to assign the visit to 2 team members (no one ever goes alone) and separate the cards. The top copy goes to Pastor Sam, the middle copy goes to the Team Leader, and the third copy goes to the persons doing the visit. This needs to happen before the service ends so you can greet people as they exit the service.
• After the service, attempt to introduce the guest to the other members of the team. People are more likely to stay in a church if they have several points of contact and persons they know. You can do this at the hospitality table if you want.
Visitation Procedure
• If you can get the person to tell you if a particular date and time are better for a visit that makes the process easier. Otherwise, tell them that someone will be dropping a gift off for them early in the week.
• Before you leave on Sunday take a gift bag, gift and card with you for each visit you have to make. They will be in a Rubbermaid tote in the lobby near the hospitality table.
• When you go to the home, knock or ring the doorbell and wait. If no one answers, make sure you sign the card and hang the bag on the doorknob. If they do answer, don’t expect to be invited in. Thank them for coming, give them the gift and tell them you hope to see them on Sunday. If they invite you in, use your judgment on time. But allow time for this to happen.
• Make sure your visits are completed by Tuesday evening, and call your team leader to report how the visits went.
• On Saturday, call the guest and invite them back to church on Sunday.

[Len Empie]

Greg,

Thanks for your sensitivity to this subject. As a family new in town looking for a church for 8 months now, and visiting no less than 16 churches, I can shed a lot of light on this subject.

First, greet me sincerely. That means don't look past me to see if your buddy is coming in the door, and don't rush off.

Second, know you way around your own church. Take me and my children to the place the nursery, children's church, and Sunday school.

Third, Give us visitor parking. Especially if your church is big, don't make me guess where to go.

Fourth, have a deep enough bench to be able to take me to where I need to go, and leave the entry staffed for the next visitor.

Fifth, Check your fly and your breath. . .no kidding both have happened to us by greeters.

Six, Remember our names even if I can't remember yours. I'm overwhelmed just trying to get up the courage to get my family in your door. I'm probably not going to remember the names of you or the first ten people you introduce me to. But you are only learning my familiy's name. There is a difference.

Seven, Smile, it doesn't hurt. And don't say anything that is going to embarass yourself, my family, or somebody you are introducing me to. It is possible to be too casual.

Eight, Show energy, and enthusiasm for your church. I'm visiting there because I may be inerested in you, even if you aren't the biggest of newest church in the hood.

Nine, Embrace your identity, and know what you do well. I can tell in 2 minutes what is important to your church after I step in. If your hallways are dim and your facilities are stained, dirty, or unkept, I'm assuming your facilities aren't important to you. Cleanliness is important. A bright, cheery childrens program, well staffed, with relevant stories, curriculum, and something other than babysitting is paramount.

Ten, Follow up. More than one phone call. I have had one pastor that has sent me hand written letters faithfully for 6 months even though I am not presently attending his church. He is free to stop by my house and visit, or call anytime. But the other churches have never called me back after the first week or so. Don't EVER be afraid or ashamed to do a follow up visit uninvited. Bring a small gift, nothing expensive (preferably edible, but with no hairs), and visit with me for a minute. I may be new in town and longing for fellowship. (This is personal as my family has battled a great deal of loneliness.)

Lastly, Be genuine, Ask me directly how can you help. How can you pray for me, what do I need directions to find? A pediatrician, an accountant, a car repair service, kids' soccor program? Help me get into a small group of people LIKE ME. If I am a blue collar worker get me into a group of like people. If I am white collar, do the same.

Hope it helps.

Len

[Greg Gates]

But the other churches have never called me back after the first week or so. Don't EVER be afraid or ashamed to do a follow up visit uninvited.

I really appreciate this insight. I wondered about it and you kind of give me permission to do it, which helps. If the visitor didn't return I am quick to assume they found a better church and they don't want me harassing them.

[Roy Richardson]

I really appreciate this insight. I wondered about it and you kind of give me permission to do it, which helps. If the visitor didn't return I am quick to assume they found a better church and they don't want me harassing them.

Don't make that assumption. People may get frustrated and quit looking, and some people just want to be pursued. They need that ego stroke.

We had a pastor come and visit us once when we moved here. We attended several churches for a month each to allow us to fairly assess them. HE came back about 4 months later to check on us. We told him where we were attending, and he told us that we had found a great church and he was glad to hear that we were worshiping. I've never forgotten that. He wasn't worried about his own numbers, but rather our soul.

One thing you might do is add these folks to your mailing list if you have one for special events. Invite them to special things, and you maintain contact and let them know that they are thought of. Just a thought.

[Bob Evans]

All that was shared was good in this post. My insight is a little different.

9 years ago after 19 years of pastoring my life changed and I had to look for a church. There are several nazarene churches in our area and we had it in mind to visit all of them a few times and make a decision.

The second Sunday we visited the interm pastor called for a special congregational meeting after church. We stayed just to see what was going on. Apparently one of the men in the church who had a history of depression went of fhis meds and attempted to take his life. The pastor expalined the situation and organized the help ministry right on the spot.
He did all this with the permission of the man recovering from the suside atempt.

My conclusion was that if this man felt comfortable enough with the congregation to have a difficult moment such as this publisized then the church would probably be a good community of faith.

I don't know how you put that in a follow up program but we never visited any other churches after that.

[Greg Gates]

He wasn't worried about his own numbers, but rather our soul

That is a good insight. I had never thought of it like that before.

[Sara Sheppard]

One thing you might do is add these folks to your mailing list if you have one for special events. Invite them to special things, and you maintain contact and let them know that they are thought of. Just a thought.

I would be careful of this. Don't add them to the "regular every week" mailing list if you don't plan to do any other follow-up. I visited a couple of churches in this area about 4 years ago. I STILL get their mail. I've never received ANYTHING personal from them but have been added to the "junk list". I even somehow have my birthday listed in their mailing when it comes in March. Tell me....do they even KNOW that I don't attend there. If they had done some genuine follow-up, they would either know that I am not attending there so there is no need to send me the every week stuff or they would know who I am and hopefully be communicating with me in a more personal fashion once in awhile (like in the halls on Sunday). :rolleyes:

Now, I wouldn't mind if I just got something once in awhile to tell of a special conference or concert but this constant stuff really only makes them look like they have no clue what is going on and just want a really huge mailing list. LOL

Sara

[Sara Sheppard]

Actually, because of this, I no longer fill out the visitor cards when I do happen to visit another church. I don't need any more mail....

Sara

[Roy Richardson]

I would be careful of this. Don't add them to the "regular every week" mailing list if you don't plan to do any other follow-up. I visited a couple of churches in this area about 4 years ago. I STILL get their mail. I've never received ANYTHING personal from them but have been added to the "junk list". I even somehow have my birthday listed in their mailing when it comes in March. Tell me....do they even KNOW that I don't attend there. If they had done some genuine follow-up, they would either know that I am not attending there so there is no need to send me the every week stuff or they would know who I am and hopefully be communicating with me in a more personal fashion once in awhile (like in the halls on Sunday). :rolleyes:

Now, I wouldn't mind if I just got something once in awhile to tell of a special conference or concert but this constant stuff really only makes them look like they have no clue what is going on and just want a really huge mailing list. LOL

Sara

I agree. I was targeting special events that may be of interest to them. Newsletters and the like, were not what I was talking about.

[Marsha Gupton]

I think this is probably one of the most difficult things to do in the church. The reason being that people are so different and have such different needs. This is true in any organization we may be associated with. I attended a Methodist church for about a year a few years ago. I still get their weekly newsletter but I do enjoy reading it and keeping up with their activities. If I wanted it to stop all I would have to do is to call the office and ask them to stop sending it.

One thing that church does is they have a clipboard with a registration packet on it and everyone signs it and there is a place to check if you are a visitor. To our surprise after we visited one sunday a couple came by our home and brought us a church coffee mug and information on the church.

I'm not sure what my church does for followup. I did visit one nazarene church in our area -- well, actually I went to their revival services because the speaker is a friend of mine. Anyway, not one person there spoke to me. This was a smaller church and I thought it was odd that no one spoke to us.

Blessings on all you pastors and associates that you might know how to appropriately followup with your visitors. The important thing is to not give off the appearance as a used car salesman. Be geniune.

[David Parker]

This thread reminds me of when we visited a new church many years ago and a couple of days later the pastor and his wife knocks on our door for a visit. Was late in the afternoon and we happened to be home. Sat and visited for awhile and while we were very impressed that they would take the time, we couldn't get past the idea that 'most' of the time, it would not have been convenient for them to have just showed up without calling first. I'd even say that for most Left Coasters, it would even be unwelcome.

We recently moved to a new church this year after ~26 years at another, and we didn't know what to expect. They asked us visitors to fill out a 'connect card' and invited us to redeem it at the Starbucks clone coffee bar in the lobby for a beverage of our choice. My wife loved her carmel frappucino and they were very friendly.

On our 3rd or 4th visit, a family sitting behind us introduced themselves after the service and inquired as to our plans for lunch. They said 'pick the place' and let us treat you to lunch. We all (6 of us) had a wonderful lunch at Chili's and got to know each other. We treated them to breakfast a few weeks later before church. We now consider them friends.

Of course the lunch invitation wasn't a 'visitor program' but was instead a genuine effort on a member's part to welcome a new family. Was a very powerful welcome.

[Greg Gates]

I've assembled quite a collection of thoughts on this subject and I am amazed at the frequency that something along the lines of "spontaneous congregational friendliness" is mentioned.

Is the most important thing just getting regular attenders to be as genuine and friendly as possible?

[Bob Evans]

I think it's easier to welcome people to church and invite them to join if the church is headed in a good direction. And weather its a missional vision or a strong community of support when members have bought into what the church is doing then its easier to invite people to be a part of it.

[Len Empie]

Greg, in response to my earlier post, you resonded that maybe the visitor had fournd a "better" church to attend. This makes me wonder how you view your church? If there are weaknesses in your "parish", are you working on solutions? I have visited churches in the last 8 months in our search from 70 people in a rented building to over 5000 with a $14 mil annual budget, and I'm not even sure which is "better". Don't make assumptions that everybody is looking for big, or new, or contemporary. People are looking for a place to belong where people will reach out and love them, share life with them, and minister to them and their children. That being said, you have to offer a "product" that isn't light years behind the other churches in the area. You have to have an organized children's program if you want to attract families with small kids, etc. You have to have strong music if you want to attract people with musical expertise. You have to have strong biblical preaching if you want to attract those of us bent on theology. You have to have at least clean and updated facilities to attract professionals. Do you get what I'm saying? I don't know you at all except from this exchange, so I don't know if you are a pastor or layman. But either way you have a ministry field.

Len

[Greg Gates]

Greg, in response to my earlier post, you resonded that maybe the visitor had fournd a "better" church to attend. This makes me wonder how you view your church?

I should probably have stated it as "found a better church for them" and not make the "better" contingent on us.

I used to be a big fan of Steve Green and learned a lot from him while he was in Pasadena.