Have a task force do a complete hospitality audit of your church, looking at it from the
perspective of a person driving by on the street or visiting for the first time.
Consider matters such as these:
___ Is your church easy to find? Do you need new signs on major roads near
your church?
___ Is your church’s name easy to read from the road?
___ Is it easy to tell which entrance to use for the church office? For the
worship center? For Sunday school and evening programs?
___ Does the
exterior and overall appearance of your church look well maintained and
attractive?
___ Does the landscaping need attention?
___ Are there a few parking spots close to the building which are reserved for
the disabled? For guests?
___ Are
the sidewalks, the entrance, and the interior spaces of the church easy to
navigate for persons in wheelchairs or with other mobility concerns?
___ Are the restrooms all clean? Without rust or mildew? Do you have lotion
and tissues available?
___ Are all rooms in the church clearly marked? Are there clear directional
signs to classrooms?
___ Are there stacks of old bulletins, old magazines, or out-of-date church
brochures which should be discarded?
___ Are there current, attractive handouts or brochures to give information
about your church which would be helpful to
guests?
___
Are the bulletin boards current? Guests are in fact more likely than
regular members to read the bulletin boards!
___ Are there any rooms which need to be cleaned? Painted?
Do some rooms look too institutional? Do you have old linoleum or tile that
should be replaced with carpet?
___ Do you have adequate lighting in hallways, classrooms, and the
worship center?
___ Are
the rooms for infants and toddlers both attractive and clean? Do you have older
bedding and toys which should be replaced?
___ Are
extra copies of curriculum and Bibles in the classrooms? Are teachers prepared
and trained to welcome guests?
___ Are the instructions in your bulletin and worship service clear to
guests? Remember that you could have guests who have not been to any
church before coming to yours.
___ Are large print bulletins available?
Is hearing amplification available?
___ Do you
have mints available for persons who experience coughing or a dry throat during
the service?
___ Do the announcements and/or joys and concerns time contain
"insider" references which would make a guest feel excluded? Do
people identify themselves before sharing?
___ Do you have a name tag system that is current and that is utilized?
___ Do you have greeters positioned at the entrances to the church? Are
greeters and ushers prepared to welcome guests? Do you offer training in
hospitality for greeters and ushers?
___ Are all members of the congregation prepared to welcome
guests? Have you
provided training in hospitality?
___ Are refreshments available at a fellowship time and/or during Sunday
school classes?
___ Do you
have members who go out of their way during the fellowship time to greet guests
and introduce them to others?
___ Are
members of your church prepared to extend brunch or dinner invitations to your
guests?
___ Do you
have a system in place to respond to guests within 48 hours of their attendance
by leaving a small gift at their homes? Freshly baked cookies or bread, a
devotional booklet, flowers, or a mug with your church's name are all
possibilities.
___ Have
you interviewed people who have recently visited your church and asked them for
feedback on their experience? Have you talked both to people who have continued
to come and to some who only came once?
___ What
other areas should you consider?
Also see the How Welcoming Is
Your Church discussion questionnaire.
You are free to reproduce this questionnaire for use in your own
congregation. Thank you for giving credit to New Life Ministries, www.NewLifeMinistries-NLM.org
