Churches get first time visitors. Some of those go on to join. What keeps them from just jumping in and getting involved? Seems like there are a few walls that should come down if you want new member involvement:

• Signage in the Church
• Openness of classes to add new members
• Opportunities for participating in regular events
• Welcome

A lot of Churches have managed the last item on this list – i.e. to be a welcoming congregation. They take time during worship to “turn to your neighbor and welcome them.” They act friendly to visitors. They provide great information in the bulletin and brochures on various ministries. They have a great web site with pages dedicated to new comers. It is the other items that prove to be impediments.

Newcomers don’t know their way around the Church building, so signage is important. Can you walk in without any prior knowledge of the building’s layout and find the sanctuary? What about the worship space for early services? What about the bathrooms? Are they hidden down a hall and out of sight? Are people inviting visitors to their small groups? Or do the small groups just meet off by themselves? The web site should list regular events on a calendar, with times and places. Or do they just appear as names (since everyone who goes already knows where and when they meet)?

I have been a new Church member many times, and I have seen good and bad examples of these items. I’m well motivated to join and jump in quickly, but I wonder about those who aren’t so well motivated. They need encouragement, plenty of information, and patient followup as they come on board. The result will be active members of the Church who worship and serve on a weekly basis.

You want to be a Church that welcomes newcomers. They are your life blood as a Church. (There is always attrition, as people retire or die. So if you’re aren’t growing, then you’re dying.) However, you don’t see any newcomers coming.

Here are some ideas of things you can do to Welcome the Stranger:

• Take time to welcome any visitors during the worship service.
• Reserve parking spots for Visitors
• Make the nursery clean, safe, sanitary and well-equipped
• Limit announcements to just the highlights