Visitors... Make the Most of an Opportunity

Visitors to congregations are very important… especially local visitors. Local visitors are usually visiting either because they feel some acute need for a connection with God or they are looking for a place to become a member.

I love interacting with visitors. I try to put myself in their position and ask myself what I would want to see when visiting a congregation.

The first thing I would want to see is if anyone cared that I was there (besides the preacher). Like… how many people introduced themselves to me or… was it just a superficial greeting like… “Howdy glad to have you come back again.”

Someone who is artful in the mechanics of conversation will use the Socratic method of asking questions and letting them do most of the talking like… 1) Where are you from? 2) Oh you’re from in town? How did you hear about us? 3) Where have you been attending?

You also want to make a personal connection and ask a question like… what kind of work do you do? Oh! You’re a welder… so am I or if you are not a welder then you can introduce them to someone else who is a welder or whatever occupation they are.

The second thing I want them to see in our congregation is racial diversity. Especially in our day and age of charges of racism I want the visitor to see people of every color in our congregation.

Thirdly I want them to see that our hour of worship is inspiring. People are singing their hearts out. I don’t want them to hear a “canned” prayer but one that is heartfelt and inspiring and perhaps relates to things that are troubling about our society today… a contemporary prayer. I want them to hear a sermon that makes them want to come back and hear another.

Generally you only have one shot at a visitor so I want to try to make it as memorable as I can.

For the two individual visitors to day I asked them each individually if I could buy their lunches today. They both turned me down but that invitation should be burned into their memories. I don’t think I have ever visited a church where a member has invited me to dinner.

Usually I write my name and number down and give it to them and let them know I have lived here a long time and know the best mechanics, plumbers, AC people, etc. in town. Several have taken advantage of that offer.

I also try to find them on Facebook and send a friend request. In addition, I take a photo of their visitor card and share it on our private Parkway member page to give the rest of our team (who are on FB) an opportunity to get involved.

Visitors are very important. We might be able to help them with some spiritual need or we might be able to add them to our local army of Christian soldiers in our fight against Satan.

Take the opportunity to be hospitable because you may not get another chance and maybe… God sent that person to test and reward you.