I might get into trouble for saying this, but I am not a fan of the usual 'meet and greet' times in so many of our churches.   Oh, it might work well for people who are regulars at church.   They do this every Sunday as they sit in the same pews or seats, and they usually shake the hands of the same people.   Week in, week out.  But this could be the worst experience for guests who come to church, the very people we are trying to reach and welcome into the Christian community we call church.

Just think about a family who might be visiting your church, perhaps for the very first time.  They just moved into the area.   It is a good thing that your church has an attractive website.   The parents, Gerry and Ann, checked you out even before they set foot inside your church.   They were able to learn alot about your church from the website.  They got up early on Sunday and it was not a small chore to get their three kids ready for church.   Everyone felt a bit rushed.   And as they headed toward church, Gerry and Ann were also a bit nervous.  They had not been in church for a while.  They did not know what to expect.

Getting to church was easy since the church and the signage was clearly seen from the street.   But as they walked from the parking lot to the church building, they were not really sure where to go, or even what to do with their children.    One of the children needed to use the restroom, but there no directional signs once they entered the building.    They walked around for a while, found the restroom, and together as a family they made their way into the large hall where they saw others heading towards.

The people seemed friendly, at least the lady at the doorway who shook their hands.   But when they sat down, noone spoke to them.   Noone sat beside them.   Not even one person acknowledged them.   It felt very uncomfortable -- especially five or ten minutes into the service when the person upfront told everybody to turn around and greet each other.    Yes, some people turned around and said hello, but the people never said a word to this family until someone told them to do so.   After the service they simply left the building without another conversation.   

Now this scenerio is played over and over again every Sunday.   But we need to ask ourselves, "Do these public meet and greet actually help people feel welcome in a church?"    Now the motives for doing these 'meet and greet' times are most likely genuine and intended for good.   But as churches we often do not consider how these times are viewed by guests.   If friendliness is limited to the very brief 'meet and greet' time then it most likely does a lot more harm than good.

So what do we do?   We truly want a Sunday worship service in church to be a place where everyone feels welcome.    You might not want to do away with the 'meet and greet' times.  If that is your church, then you need to make sure your congregation is educated on how to be friendly.    They  need to be taught what it means to reach out to guests.   People would need to be friendly before and after the worship services.   And there is more you can do to make church a welcoming environment.   Here are some suggestions.

Make sure there is good signage.    And I am not only thinking about clear, visible signage facing the road.   There also should be good signage in the church.   Remember signage is not for members; they are for guests.   They are not for people on the inside, but people who are on the outside coming in, some for the very first time.   I am so grateful when I go to a shopping mall where there is good signage.  I can easily find the restrooms, the eating areas, the exits, and know where I can find the places I need to go to.   In my last congregation we did a signage audit of our church and as a result put directional signs throughout the building.  It made all the difference for our guests, and communicated an attitude of hospitality.

Clean and safe.   I am not only grateful for good signage in a shopping mall; I also appreciate clean toilets and floors.   You know what I am talking about.   If you want your church to be welcoming for guests, then get rid of the clutter and the garbage.   Remove all foul smells and make sure the carpets and floors are clean.   No parent would like to have their children crawling or playing in spaces that are unclean or unsafe.    And pay specific attention to the restrooms -- that they are well-stocked, clean, and odour free.    And, especially in our day and age, it is absolutely critical that every church has a safe church policy when it comes to children and youth.  On your website and through your children's programs it needs to be communicated clearly that your church has a safe church policy and what it is.   Read more.

Greeting and Welcome Center.   While 'meet and greet' times in public worship services might do more harm than good, it is still important that guests are greeted and made to feel welcome.   Every church should have a welcoming team that roams around looking for guests to make sure that noone is overlooked.   These 'roaming greeters' engage guests in conversation before and after the worship services.    You might have 'worship greeters' who notice guests coming into church.   They speak to them when they enter the main hall, and notice where they are sitting.  If they notice that once seated noone engages with them or they are ignored, they might pick up further contact.   In the church I attend we have a few people who are very good at this.   They notice visitors, and are quick to engage them in conversation and even sit with them.   Such guests are more prone to come back again the following week, for they have experienced a warm welcome.

And every church should have a welcome center.   Again, when I go to a shopping mall, I often look for the information desk.   There I know I will always find someone who can assist me to know where to go or what to do. On one occasion, when I had lost my keys, I was able to locate them at the information desk.   The welcome center should be viewed from the perspective of a guest.   This is not only a place where people can get information, but a place where people can further connected to the church.

Welcome?    The Bible reminds us Romans 12:13 to "Practise hospitality."   A good place to put this into action in on Sundays at church.   But it takes practise.  And it makes all the difference to our guests at church.