I was talking with some dudes from another church the other day and they were talking about the visitors at the church they attend. Several times in the discussion, they used the term “visitors” and it was getting all over me. Then I mentioned it to Pam and she asked, “Well, what do you call them?” and I realized that maybe I’ve been lax about communicating this important attitude. When I realized how passionate I am about these particular semantics, I thought I should post about it.
So, every weekend at The Connection Church, we have many, many guests. We refer to them as guests and we treat them like guests. What’s the big deal and what difference does it make if we call people “visitors” or “guests”?
Think about it this way: a visitor is someone who shows up at your house, usually uninvited. They are out of place. They are somewhat uncomfortable. That’s best case scenario. The worst case scenario is that they are secretly aliens who look like lizards and are here to take over the earth and maybe have us for dinner.
A guest, on the other hand, is invited, expected, and welcome. At The Connection Church, we’re “a family expecting guests.” We love our guests. We address them respectfully in our services. We give them each a special gift with some fun stuff and helpful info. We follow up with them in non-intrusive ways. We listen to their opinions. And we look for them to return the next week or soon.
So, it cuts to the core of the way we interact with those who are checking out our churches on the weekends. And it makes a huge difference in connecting with people. So, if you’re thinking about checking out The Connection Church this weekend, BE OUR GUEST!