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Key Elements of the Welcome

Every welcome segment should have the following.

• Welcome guests. Even if you personally know everyone in the room because they are related to you, welcome first time guests. This is a great opportunity to be friendly.

• State your mission or vision. This is something you should say every Sunday. It might get old to you but someone is hearing it for the first time and everybody needs to be reminded why you exist.

• Tell people what’s going to happen. Act like a flight attendant or a tour guide and make sure people know what to expect. Explain the service well.

• Give everyone one next step. If you use a connection card or communication card, explain it and tell people what to do with it. If you have a next step for people to take, make sure you share it.

Here’s a Sample Welcome

Hello everyone. My name is Michael and I’m one of the pastors here at City Church. Thank you so much for joining us today.

If you’re a guest with us today, I really want to thank you for joining us. I know it’s a big deal to visit a church for the first time, so we’re glad you decided to join us. In fact, we’ve got a special gift for you – just a little something to say thanks. If you fill out the connection card in your handout and take it to the big table in the lobby, we’d love to give you this coffee mug. And if you have any questions or if we can help you in any way, just ask someone wearing one of the “I Can Help” t-shirts.

The most important thing you need to know about us is our mission. We’re here to lead people from where they are to where God wants them to be. That’s why we do what we do, and that’s why we’re getting together today.

Speaking of today, the service is going to last right at one hour. We’re going to sign some songs – the words will be up on the screens if you want to join in, or if you’d prefer to stand with your hands in your pockets, that’s okay too. Then I’m going to speak about “faith and prayer.” And we’re going to celebrate the stories of Jenn and Chris who are being baptized. It should be a pretty fun day.

So, as the band gets ready to play and lead us, why don’t you find someone nearby and shake their hands and say hello?

IMPROVE YOUR WELCOME SEGMENT

By Gavin Adams

How much attention do you give the welcome segment in your church service?

If you are like most churches, the answer is little to none. I mean it’s only a few minutes, anyway. How much time should we spend planning something so short and insignificant? And isn’t a “welcome” just a transitional element so the band or choir can get ready?

You might be shocked to see how much time at Watermarke Church we spend evaluating the welcome. It is only a 3-minute segment of our 60-minute service, but like every facet of our service, we desire it to be excellent, intentional, and strategic. We discuss every phrase we use. We evaluate the energy we bring. We consider how our words might be heard or interpreted by guests and non-Christians. In some ways, communicating a 3-minute welcome at Watermarke is as stressful as the 35-minute message!

So how can you make your welcome segment excellent, intentional, strategic, and short? Here are a few tips from our process:

1. Manage the time.

Staying within the time limit is important. If we allow the welcome segment to run long, it pushes the entire service long. If that doesn’t bother you, just spend a week in the baby room. They know exactly when the hour is up, and their meltdowns are timed perfectly! The overall church experience is only as good as the interdependent segments of your service. If you run long in the service, it hurts other ministries.

2. Be intentional welcoming guests.

Remember, every week there are guests in your audience, and they probably do not know much about your church or what will happen in your service. At Watermarke, every week I specifically welcome our guests, repeat our mission, and tell them what to expect.

3. Preemptively answer their questions.

Most guest (and every man) wants to know: How long will this last? Don’t make them wonder the entire service – tell them up front. People want to know who is leading singing. They want to know what the message will be about. They want to know who YOU are. We try to anticipate their questions and provide answers up front so they can relax and enjoy the remainder of their time at Watermarke.

4. Limit announcements.

The welcome segment is not an announcement segment. You have many other mediums for announcements (bulletin, pre-service videos and quips, information tables, etc.). We intentionally limit the number of announcements, only highlighting what we feel is absolutely necessary. In most cases, our only “announcement” is dedicated to a next step for the people in the auditorium.

In the sample above, I announced short-term group registration and highlighted our new satellite parking lot. This gave me a little moment to celebrate, cast vision, and connect people in our church.

5. Evaluate your words… all of them.

We are hypercritical at Watermarke, picking apart everything we do. That certainly causes some “unfiltered debate,” but it makes us better. The welcome is not immune to our evaluation. We want to ensure the exact words we say and phrases we use communicate exactly what we intend. Remember, people (especially guests) are assessing your church at the beginning of your service. Make sure the phrases and content of your welcome communicate who you are and what you hope for them.

6. Define your target.

Make sure the welcome is targeted to the group of people who need to be “welcomed.” Hint: Your target is the people sitting in front of you. If you are expecting guests (please tell me you are expecting guests!), then talk directly to them. If the high school staff gives you an announcement about a high school retreat, don’t use the welcome time if there are no high school students in the room. Be intentional. Be strategic. Target your welcome and the words you use. Make every word count.

7. Be likable.

I’m not sure how to coach this. I’m not even sure if I always accomplish this. But I know it’s really important. I try to smile a lot. I try to be energetic. I try to connect through humor and relevant information. But in the end, be a person they lik

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