Nic Cass ~ February
As we prepare for the opening of our long-awaited church building, there are countless people working in many areas behind the scenes to make sure everything is ready. One area I have been working on is a plan for effectively following up with any guest we will have. This is an exciting time for Immanuel and I believe that excitement extends beyond our own members and congregation.
With the opening of our new church, I expect there to be a growing number of visitors wanting to see our new space and what Immanuel is all about. With this, we have a great opportunity to connect with members of our community and engage them in the ministry of Immanuel. Within our church we often talk about how we are called to head out into the world and spread the Gospel, to share the good news of Jesus Christ, and indeed we are. This is articulated famously by Jesus Himself in the great commission, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19). Now, if we are called so to go out and share the Gospel, how much more should we be prepared when people walk through our doors seeking that Gospel connection themselves? In short, we should be very prepared. If people have taken the step (sometimes a very big step) to come check out our church, we should be doing all we can to make sure that step does not go unnoticed.
So, what should we be doing for our guests? Effective guest follow-up starts with a culture of hospitality within Immanuel. This includes everything from clearly marked entrances and signed bathrooms to welcoming and knowledgeable members ready to engage visitors. I believe that Immanuel is a naturally hospitable congregation, but I plan to take a few steps to be even more intentional about engaging with visitors. Primarily, I want to establish a team of “greeters” for each service whose main responsibility will be to recognize, engage with, and help to follow-up with guests. Though our congregation is generally welcoming, having those tasked with being focused on visitors is the next step towards being intentional about guest interaction.
The next most important part is having a plan for follow-up in place. This involves everything from collecting contact information to reaching out soon afterwards through text, phone, or email. In this we let people know we were excited about their visit and have a chance to answer any questions they may have about their worship experience with. This too can be a roll for our greeters if they are interested in helping in that way. So, what can all of you be doing to help in effectively meeting and following up with guests?
- Pray that God would bring visitors to Immanuel in the coming weeks and months as we transition into our new church building.
- Talk to me if you are interested in being a part of our ministry specifically focused on meeting and following up with guests to Immanuel.
- Be a part of our culture of hospitality; introduce yourself to people you don’t know, whether you think they are new visitors or not.
I thank you all for your partnership in our ministry at Immanuel and pray that God uses the opportunity of this new building to bring new people to the knowledge of Christ and His saving love. Amen.