Make Room to Welcome DVD
Greensboro, NC —When first time visitors visit churches, they may or may not know the order of service, the way communion is served or how to get to the sanctuary. “Assume there is somebody that does not know,” suggests Lynette Hawkins, a communications consultant for churches. In Make Room to Welcome, her new interactive training DVD, she shares practical ways for members, ushers and greeters to show their Christian love. With increases in foreclosure and unemployment rates, many congregations will possibly see more new comers. “Will first time guests return,” asks Hawkins. This question may also be on the minds of many pastors who seek church growth over declining membership.
People who are visiting for the first time often ponder whether a church is friendly. Hawkins shares that, “not only are people looking for a friendly church but people are looking for a place to make friends.” Seeing welcoming as a ministry helps to tear down barriers to new relationships. Training helps members see why they may need to give up favorite pew seats and slide down so that visitors can sit. It also reminds members how important it may be to greet in the parking lot or let visitors eat first at coffee hour.
Make Room to Welcome, a thirty-five minute DVD offers members, ushers and greeters easy-to-follow training on how to create a hospitality mindset, communicate a welcoming image and establish guest-friendly practices from the parking lot to the pew. The ideas shared are based on Scripture, research and experience. Scripture reminds us to practice hospitality;
Lynette Hawkins speaks and writes nationally with Awesome Insight of Beyond Marketing Group, Inc. based in Greensboro, N.C. She offers a free monthly e-newsletter for church leaders that reaches more than 1,000 Christian leaders, seminars, e-books and consulting on welcoming and reaching out. Her e-book, 21 Blunders in Reaching Beyond the Walls is available free. Her articles have appeared in national publications and she currently blogs for her own blog and others. For inquiries go to www.awesomeinsight.com or info@awesomeinsight.com.
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