The first thing the team should do is to give special attention to every point of the service. Imagine yourself a first time guest. Are instructions clear and thorough enough so a newcomer can participate in worship? Is appropriate time given to welcoming guests? Many times we say "welcome," but we don't take the time to honestly allow them to fill out registration cards or meet them because we're too busy standing, sitting, singing songs, and shaking hands. Our welcome is more like a formality that we whoosh through rather than a sincere effort to make guests feel welcome and at ease.

There should always be greeters at the door who do much more than hand out bulletins. These are the first ones a guest will come into contact with, and it means so much to a newcomer if someone takes the time to not just say "hello, here's a bulletin" but to ask them their names and find out a little about them. It may be necessary to open car doors or help with children and the elderly. Help them find a seat, or if it's early enough, a Sunday School class for them and any children who might be with them. If there is a small child, and the church provides a nursery or children's church, help them find their way. If they are new to your church, a packet of prepared literature can help them know more about what is special about your church and why they should consider becoming part of it. As a further help, some churches provide special close-in parking designated for guests. Remember that you can make a first impression only once.

We also must be careful how we identify guests in public. To have them stand or raise their hands could be embarrassing. Many churches are now using registry books or cards on each pew that everyone in attendance must fill out. A visitor is more likely to register if he sees everyone else taking part in the same task. This way no individual is singled out, and you are able to maintain accurate worship attendance records each week.

The greeting of guests from the pulpit should be brief but clear. Let them know how to get in touch with the pastor or staff, and express to them that because they are guests, they are not expected to give any money during the time of the offering. Explain how the registry book or guest cards are to be used.

If there are some moments given to moving about the room to greet one another, please be sure that guests really are greeted. Sometimes we seek out only those we already know and avoid any strangers in our midst. How would you feel if you were to visit someplace and during the time of greeting you awkwardly stood by largely ignored?

The welcome team can also suggest ways to improve the weekly bulletin. If the words to all songs sung during the time are not available in hymnals or songbooks, it is important that they either be printed in the bulletin or projected onto the wall. Never assume that everyone knows the songs or choruses you sing, no matter how simple and well-known you may think they are. Help design a successful bulletin that guides the worship time without confusing or surprising the worshipers, especially the newcomers. The bulletin should always list the names and phone numbers of key individuals, and if the church has a Website, this should be included. Any questions, comments, or needs the guest has afterward can be directed to the right place.

Make sure the timing and spacing of worship activities are such that no one is rushed when it comes to greeting visitors and allowing folks the opportunity to fill out registry pages or cards. If little time and attention are given to making guests feel welcome and at ease, then we know that we are not actively seeking to minister to newcomers.

The pastor should be sensitive during his sermon preparation to present it in such a way that it is applicable even to the guests that may be present. A sermon can be well studied and presented, but if it fails to challenge the listener to respond, it has not been as effective as it could have been. Preachers should be careful that their messages are fresh and personal. It is easy for pastors to allow their messages to become stale for lack of preparation or off target for failing to relate or connect to the listeners. A careful evaluation over a period of many sermons might point out that messages are too much alike or fail to challenge the hearer to move forward in his relationship with the Lord. I've heard from some that "the preacher preaches on salvation every week, and we want more." We definitely must present a clear explanation of the Gospel message, but if that is the focus of each week's message, we must ask ourselves how this is ministering to the majority of attenders who already know Christ as Savior. There are many themes that a preacher can address that not only relate to daily life and spiritual development but that can also lead us to an invitation that voices the importance of being born again.

At the conclusion of the worship time see to it that the guests are not ignored. Spend a few minutes talking with them, and if possible, think about inviting them out to eat after the service. Ask if there is some special concern that you can pray about in the days to come (and don't forget to do it!). Walk them to their car, and discover how your church might minister to them in the days ahead. See if there is a particular day or evening that would be convenient for a home visit, and make certain that if you talk about a visit that someone actually does visit. Welcoming newcomers has as much to do with how they depart as how they arrive! n