I wonder if you can remember what it was like walking into City Church for the first time? How did you feel? What did you notice first? What did you come away thinking most about?
I remember visiting a church on holiday last Summer, and the worship was wonderful, we heard a great message, and we were grateful to be there. However only one person came to speak to us and that was the person on the door as we walked in. I suddenly remembered what it was like to walk into a new place where I didn’t know anyone and it was the topic of conversation as we left.
It made me think again about what people’s experience is like when they come to City Church for the first time. There are so many things that we can take for granted if we have been at church for a while, but right from knowing where the entrance to the building is, to how many people come and say hello and interact with you - these details affect the experience someone has when they join us, and it can be the difference between someone coming back again or deciding that church isn’t for them.
I remember turning up to City Church in December 2009 and only knowing one person (which was Sarah - who later became my wife), and by the end of the service I had been invited to two small groups, and was heading to someone’s flat for lunch. The welcome I received wasn’t by people with lanyards whose job it was to say hello, but by people who were genuinely interested in me. I came back the next week, and the week after, and the rest is history.
The welcome we give people is not just a friendly thing to do but it is an expression of the Gospel. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
God, through His Son, relentlessly pursued us and brought us into eternal relationship with Him! We were once far from God, but Jesus has brought us into His family. And now as the Church, we have the unique opportunity to extend this life changing invitation to those that visit us.
I am constantly amazed by who comes into our gatherings and it’s always fascinating to hear how people have found us and what their story is. And the exciting part is that we all have a role to play in welcoming people into our church and to see God at work in people’s lives. I recently met someone at Cotham who has never, and I mean never, stepped foot in a church before. He felt prompted to google "Church near me" and came for the first of our BeReal. series. He's been back every week since and has said how friendly people have been and how much he is enjoying it. Isn't that amazing! God is at work and is drawing people to himself, and all we have to do is welcome people and make it easy for them to connect into our church.
So, here’s a few tips on how you can welcome people well and one challenge for you…
Here’s the challenge: could you aim to speak to one person you don’t know each time you come to a Sunday service? It could be someone on your row during the 2 minute break, or over a cup of tea at the end. Your connection could make the difference between someone coming again and not!
Now to the tips:
Keep your eyes open for people you haven’t met before, people who are sitting on their own, and ask if you can sit next to them. A simple, “Hi, I don’t think we’ve met before, I’m James.” is an easy way to start.
Ask questions like, “How did you hear about us?”, “How long have you lived in Bristol for?” “Did you come with anyone?”.
See if you can connect them with someone else in the church and get them talking. It’s great for a guest to get to know others easily.
Use the Welcome Desk! There should always be someone there who can answer questions and get them connected.