“There are four initial areas of contact through which you can influence your guests during the pre-serivce – through controlling how they are greeted, directed, treated, and seated. Greeted: Welcomed with a smile Directed: Simply and politely shown to where they need to go Treated: Happily surprised with comfort food/drink Seated: Led to comfortable, appropriate seats” … Read More
Fusion Fridays: The Pre-Service Mission
“The pre-service is your first opportunity for interaction with everyone who sets foot on your church’s property – from guests to members – but its purpose and influence are particularly important for first-time guests. Your pre-service mission is to take your guests’ guard down and even put a smile on their faces – before the service begins. Always assume they’ve … Read More
Fusion Fridays: The Power of a First Impression
“Seven minutes is all you get to make a positive first impression. In the first seven minutes of contact with your church, your first-time guests will decide whether they are coming back. That’s before a single worship song is sung and before a single word of the message is uttered. This reality must prompt you and me to ask: What’s … Read More
McIntosh on Welcoming Guests
“When we extend our hand of welcome to church guests, we extend God’s hand of grace.” – Gary McIntosh, Professor of Church Growth and Leadership
Fusion Fridays: Reflecting Jesus’s Hospitality
“Understanding the importance of assimilation may require you to change the way you think about service. God has not only given us the responsibility of being hospitable to his guests, but he has also given us the perfect example of how to go about it. Jesus came to this earth to serve, not to be served. Throughout the New Testament, … Read More
Fusion Friday: Integrating Guests into God’s Family
“Your church is a representation of the bigger family of God. As you put a system in place to effectively integrate guests into the family, you will be fulfilling part of the responsibility God placed on you when he prompted them your way. God is honored when you show your guests true biblical hospitality.” … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Practice Biblical Hospitality
“It has been said that, ‘The church is a family expecting guests.’ Is your family ready? The church – your church – truly is a family expecting guests. And you should be ready to show them intentional hospitality when they arrive. While they are in your company, they need to feel comfortable and valued, no matter where they are in … Read More
Fusion Fridays: From Crowd to Congregation
“I fully believe that when new people visit your church and establish themselves as part of the crowd, you are embarking on a journey with those people. If you commit to guiding them across the bridge of assimilation, you are giving them the best opportunity to respond to God and give their lives to Jesus. Once they sincerely profess their … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Cooperating with God
“Not one person who comes through your doors comes haphazardly. By sending a guest to you, God is giving you the privilege of cooperating with him to move someone forward in his or her journey toward Jesus.” – Nelson Searcy and Jennifer Dykes Henson The above quote is from p. 30 of Fusion: Turning First-Time Guests Into Fully Engaged Members of Your Church. This … Read More
Fusion Fridays: Having the Right Perspective
“Your regular attenders represent people in the process of becoming fully developing followers of Jesus. Your guest count gauges the effectiveness of your evangelism and outreach. When grounded in the right perspective, numbers are an indication of life change. They are a testimony that God is at work. But anyone who looks at numbers with a competitive spirit or who … Read More