Church Greeters set the tone for encouragement in the church. They arrive before the members and guests to ensure that everyone who enters the church doors receives a warm welcome. Their purpose is to encourage church members as the early Christians encouraged Paul:
Friend, you have no idea how good your love makes me feel, doubly so when I see your hospitality to fellow believers.
Philemon 1:7 (The Message)
5As visitors begin to arrive, the greeters must be encouraging, putting courage in, because coming to a new church requires courage. Visitors have already overcome some reluctance to get up and go to church when they are unsure of how they will be accepted and treated, so greeters must make them feel welcome and glad that they made the effort to come. Greeters must also be of service to visitors by helping them find classrooms, sanctuary, restrooms, etc.
The talents needed to be a greeter are available to all who have faith in Christ. When greeters accept the task of encouraging others, they build up the church, grow in the Lord through their service to others, and help others to be receptive to learning about and worshiping God. The following is a list of the top 15 things church greeters must do:
1. Arrive early. Be at your station.
2. Smile. Smile. Smile.
3. Have fresh breath.
4. Make eye contact.
5. When it is not your week for hosting, take the initiative anyway and greet visitors in the sanctuary during greeting time.
6. Don’t ask, “Are you new? Or “Is this your first time?” Instead, introduce yourself and apologize for not knowing them. Say “I don’t think I know you yet. I’m __________.”
7. Give the visitors a guest card to place in the offering plate later. This will allow them time to fill it out at their convenience before the offering plate is passed. Do not ask them to fill it out right then and there.
8. Be friendly and warm and let visitors know that you’re happy they have come to our church.
9. Point out classes, restrooms, sanctuary, children’s areas. Walk with them if needed. Visitors have precedence over members who are coming through the door. If you need to leave your station to accompany the visitor, do so.
10. Remember that God is at work when a visitor arrives at your church's door step. Be His good ambassadors so that the visitor receives God’s message. We need to show Christ’s love and welcome them into our church family. 2 Corinthians 5:20
11. Open the door for people who are carrying things.
12. Shake hands or hug if the guest or member seems open to that.
13. Wear a greeter tag with your name so that the visitor can at least name one person in a sea of strangers.
14. Say: Welcome to church this morning! Or Welcome to (name of your church) this morning! Or God bless you! Or I’m glad you are here this morning!
15. Don't let your job of encouraging visitors stop at the door. Sit by visitors during worship and Bible study, and sit by someone new at church dinners and fellowships.
The talents needed to be a greeter are available to all who have faith in Christ. When greeters accept the task of encouraging others, they build up the church, grow in the Lord through their service to others, and help others to be receptive to learning about and worshiping God. The following is a list of the top 15 things church greeters must do:
1. Arrive early. Be at your station.
2. Smile. Smile. Smile.
3. Have fresh breath.
4. Make eye contact.
5. When it is not your week for hosting, take the initiative anyway and greet visitors in the sanctuary during greeting time.
6. Don’t ask, “Are you new? Or “Is this your first time?” Instead, introduce yourself and apologize for not knowing them. Say “I don’t think I know you yet. I’m __________.”
7. Give the visitors a guest card to place in the offering plate later. This will allow them time to fill it out at their convenience before the offering plate is passed. Do not ask them to fill it out right then and there.
8. Be friendly and warm and let visitors know that you’re happy they have come to our church.
9. Point out classes, restrooms, sanctuary, children’s areas. Walk with them if needed. Visitors have precedence over members who are coming through the door. If you need to leave your station to accompany the visitor, do so.
10. Remember that God is at work when a visitor arrives at your church's door step. Be His good ambassadors so that the visitor receives God’s message. We need to show Christ’s love and welcome them into our church family. 2 Corinthians 5:20
11. Open the door for people who are carrying things.
12. Shake hands or hug if the guest or member seems open to that.
13. Wear a greeter tag with your name so that the visitor can at least name one person in a sea of strangers.
14. Say: Welcome to church this morning! Or Welcome to (name of your church) this morning! Or God bless you! Or I’m glad you are here this morning!
15. Don't let your job of encouraging visitors stop at the door. Sit by visitors during worship and Bible study, and sit by someone new at church dinners and fellowships.