Growing Churches # 2

Idea # 2 - Welcoming Newcomers

Newcomers react positively to being greeted and welcomed as long as they are not bowled over.

Conversations with newcomers, and statistics suggest that greeting newcomers is imperative if a congregation is to retain its visitors. It seems that visitors greeted by only one person rarely come back for a second visit. However, 90% of the visitors return a second time if they are greeted by seven individuals or more on a Sunday morning. (Good evangelism happens when the congregation as a whole sees reaching new members as the personal obligation of each member; and does it!)

Preparing the congregation for this task isn't always that easy. Many of us who come to church on Sunday seem to feel that we are the guests, rather than the hosts! Changing this attitude starts at
the top, of course with the --- session. Did you think it was the pastor? Yes, as part of the session. One of the elder's responsibilities needs to be greeting newcomers.

Of course, that means saving our business discussions until some other time, but quite frankly, most of our church business contacts should be done sometime other than in passing on Sunday morning anyway. Then, it's the Deacons turn to get into the greeting habit. And the Sunday School teachers and the choir. After all, you never know when you might meet a newcomer looking for a choir to join!