From Here to Home

This step focuses on engaging visitors through simple conversations, welcoming them to the church, formally acknowledging them as first-time visitors during the service, and commemorating their visit with a gift, such as a handwritten note of welcome and a gift card to a coffee shop.

Many churches incorporate a café component into their Sunday morning hospitality to provide refreshments and engage visitors, and offering an intentional invitation to sit with a church leader over coffee communicates accessibility and prioritizes building relationships within the community.

As part of the church's hospitality initiative, church members host visiting families for dinner at their homes, providing an opportunity for visitors to engage with the community and experience table fellowship, while also encouraging them to replicate the hospitality they receive once they become members.

As part of the church's hospitality initiative, church members host visiting families for dinner at their homes, providing an opportunity for visitors to engage with the community and experience table fellowship, while also encouraging them to replicate the hospitality they receive once they become members.

Every church does not maintain a formal membership role. If your church does, there are at least two things to consider before extending an invitation to membership:

1. Doctrinal Requirements: Does your church have certain doctrinal beliefs that every member must hold to? How will you access if the potential member holds to these beliefs or not? It may be helpful to offer a “new members’” class of some sort. This class can serve as an opportunity to teach these necessary beliefs. It is incredibly helpful to be transparent about the church’s doctrinal beliefs and perspectives on moral and social issues so that potential members make as informed decisions as possible about their future church home.

2. Sacramental Requirements: Is baptism required before becoming a member? If it is, be sure to offer an opportunity for baptism along with the invitation to membership.

*Note that a formal membership system is helpful but not necessary for implementing this strategy. The goal is to make people feel at home in your church, not grow a membership list.