First Impressions

[Chad Dvoracek]

What do visitors think when they walk through your front door?  If you came to visit your church, would you come back?  Interesting thoughts aren't they?

We are current working on learning to think about who we are.  As a small church we have tendency to set habits that may seem "hokey" to a visitor.  I relate it to the difference between the entry way and the kitchen table.  When we answer the door and maybe invite a neighbor in to the formal Living Room our manners are different them when we sit down for a normal family dinner.  We are kind, cordial and respectful to our new guest, where at a normal family dinner, everyone is talking and relating the day and reaching for food etc, but a visitor won't feel very comfortable in that free for all environment.  Smaller churches develop that free for all feeling that newcomers don't feel comfortable in.  They expect certain boundaries and respect more like a formal dinner where you are trying to meet someone for the first time.

The kitchen/living room type setting (mentality) is great for the small group but for the entryway or formal dining room where we invite new guests, we have to be a bit more concerned with our manners. 

Have have you overcome some of these obstacles in your church?  How have your taught your congregation to think different?

[Chad Dvoracek]

They say that a person decides if they are going to come back in the first 10-15 minutes or so from the time they pull up to the parking lot.  Some believe the this is decided way before the service even starts. 

This is based on the sights, smells and sounds that visitors experience.  I think Jamie is right on when it comes to authenticity.  This is one of the very important things for visitors to see is our love for one another. 

I believe it is also important to think about the other things as well.  Maybe not as important but it is kind of like a clean house.  When you walk into your house and it is clean and organized, you don't notice the clean but you know it is easier to relax.  On the other hand, if you walk into the house when it is in a state of "not clean" or bad smells and un-organized you notice it a lot sooner, sometimes immediately. 

We have formed a philosophy of our entry way that it is for the guest not the family.  Family is those that are already here and come in the back door.  Guests come in the front door.  All of our literature, announcement etc is all now back in the fellowship hall instead of the entryway, it clutters up the front mostly with information that a visitor could care less about.   We also painted and replaced all the lighting.  Retro is in but only if you are Retro on purpose not because it's always been there.  We also wanted to create a new "feel" as people walked it.  Anybody that has been to this church will immediately notice a difference.  This is good, we want people to think "new" as opposed to "same old." 

How have you given a more positive look for visitors?